


Nightmares in Daylight

by beforedesire



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:37:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beforedesire/pseuds/beforedesire
Summary: Darkfic. Minerva has visions that disturb her sleep, but she soon finds out that her reality is just as dark as her nightmares.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is a dark fic. There will be torture, abuse, death, and destruction. I promise there will be some good in it, but it will mostly be drama and action. Not for the faint of heart. This will take place about 10 years after the second war with Voldemort. It will be somewhat D/H compliant, but not compliant to Minerva's Pottermore backstory.

Prologue

There was a flash of light and a deafening crash.

The thunder clapped in sync with the curses that were flying- bolts of green light from the killing curse shattering the onyx sky.

Another crash, and a tree came smashing down into the thick, icy ground of the Forbidden Forest.

An acrid smell began filling the space between the trees. Off in the distance, a fire began to rage, burning everything and anyone in its path.

In only a few short moments, the air was gray and thick with smoke, clouding any vision, blocking out the scant light the moon and stars provided.

She knew it was going to happen. She knew even before it started. She ran forward, wand in front of her, desperately trying to stop what she knew had to come.

From somewhere in the forbidden forest, there was a scream of agony, a blood-curdling, horrid scream.

She moved towards the sound, heart filling with dread at what she knew she was about to see.

Before she could round the corner, she felt a curse hit her in the back, sending her sprawling to the ground. Her head collided with something hard, and in an instant she felt warm, slick blood coat the side of her face.

Then her world went black.

Xxxxxx

Minerva's quill scratched furiously against her parchment. It was barely ten o'clock and already her desk was flooded with papers.

She loved Hogwarts. She had given it her life. Still, at times she wished that she could take some time for herself.

Not that she really understood that, either.

After she and Albus had married, they immediately started working at Hogwarts the very next day.

When she was pregnant with her children- Percival, Tessa and Esmerele, she had simply covered up her swelling stomach with hiding charms. When they were growing up, she kept them hidden in she and Albus's private rooms until they were old enough to attend Hogwarts.

She had even changed their last names to Brian so they could go through school with anonymity. The children understood that no one could know who their parents really were, and if anyone ever inquired, he was to say they were Percival Sr. and Katherine.

Percival was so withdrawn and quiet, much like his father, that Minerva never knew what he was thinking or how he felt about his parent's position and his secret identity. Tall, blonde and lanky, he had a natural aptitude for potions. Immediately after his last year at Hogwarts, he'd been accepted at the Wizarding Alchemy and Potions Order, and through the years he'd gradually risen in rank and prestige.

As an adult, he was much more open with Minerva, and after Albus's death he made an effort to have dinner with her at least once a week. And as he got older, he looked so much like Albus it nearly shattered her heart.

Tessa had opted to not even attend Hogwarts. When she was ten, she had asked her parents to send her to Beauxbaton's Academy. Apparently she had read about it in some book or another, and she didn't hesitate to ask if she could go away to school.

Minerva and Albus didn't even discuss it- they just sent her off. She came home in the summer, but when she was always sullen, moody, and bitterly sarcastic. She had a caustic tongue that could rival Minerva's, and she didn't hesitate to use it. She and Minerva had bitter arguments that always ended in slamming doors and strained dinners. Only Albus could talk reason into her.

Tessa would spend hours sitting in front of the Floo, speaking in rapid French to her classmates. During her third year, she had asked to stay in France with her best friend Gabrielle, and again Minerva had let her go.

Tessa was the classic middle child. With auburn hair that fell in perfect curls and icy blue eyes, she was never without a boyfriend. She had married as soon as she left school and had remained in France, only returning home for the holidays.

After Albus's death, Tessa and Minerva's relationship was even more strained than before. Tessa's sapphire eyes told Minerva that she held her solely responsible for her father's death.

It killed Minerva to know that, but there was nothing she could do except for love her daughter nonetheless.

Esmerele was the child Minerva was closest to. Esmerele was sweet and inquisitive and could always be found on her parent's bed with a book in her hand. She read as much as her mother, and Minerva would stay up for hours discussing different theories and philosophies with her.

Esmerele was a spitting image of Minerva, and it was a wonder none of her classmates had made the connection. Esmerele was a hat stall just like her mother, and she too had been placed in Gryffindor.

During Esmerele's years at Hogwarts, Minerva had allowed her to use the secret passageways so that they could see each other during their free time, which was few and far between.

Minerva often visited Esmerele late at night as an animagus and would crawl up and sleep beside her daughter when Albus was away.

She knew the other children knew it, but she was partial to Esmerele. She couldn't help it. She had inherited the best of both of her parent's traits. She was a natural peacekeeper, and even Tessa had a hard time staying angry with her younger sister.

Percival and Esmerele were close as siblings too. He was in his fourth year when she started school, and they spent most of their time together. Since he was so introverted and she was so intuitive, they didn't have to say a lot to understand each other.

Esmerele had become a Transfiguration master just like Minerva, and after school she moved to Scotland to work in the International Transfiguration Society, just like Minerva had done before she had finished school.

When Albus had died, it was Esmerele who had stayed with her mother those two months that she cried herself to sleep every night.

She visited Minerva every other weekend, but they exchanged letters everyday.

Minerva sighed as she thought about her children. They were so different, yet so alike. She wondered if she had messed up as a mother.

She knew she could have been more loving to Percival and Tessa, but neither of them was inclined to physical affection from either parent.

In fact, Esmerele had been the only child that had ever wanted hugs from her mother and father. But then again, she wondered if Percival and Tessa had wanted that too and just never said anything.

God knows- she loved her children more than anything. But she didn't understand them.

Banishing her thoughts, she continued working through her stacks of papers. She had a long day ahead.

Xxxxx

After the eight o'clock staff meeting, Minerva retreated to her bedroom, relieved that the day was finally over.

She ran her long fingers across the seam of her outer robe, magically unhooking the tiny clasps. She took it off and placed it in her wardrobe. Repeating the motion with her inner robes, she then stepped out of the smooth silk dress and hung it up.

Grabbing her favorite purple robe, she made her way to the bathroom. With a wave of her hand, the pins flew out of her hair. She groaned from the tenderness of her scalp, and she gingerly moved her hair around to ease the tension.

She brushed her teeth and removed her earrings. Opening her jewelry box, she saw her wedding rings sitting in the side compartment.

She withdrew them and slipped it onto her finger. She loved those rings. The band had diamonds and emeralds wrapped around them, and the engagement ring was a large princess cut diamond with two slightly smaller emeralds on either side with the same cut.

She hugged her hand to her chest, missing her husband.

Minerva closed her jewelry box and flicked her wrist, banishing the light from the bathroom.

She padded her way to her chest of drawers and pulled out her silk nightgown.

She walked back over to her large bed and snuggled under the thick comforter.

With a flick of her wrist, the candles extinguished, and the room was bathed in darkness.

Xxxxxx

She was walking down a pathway she knew from her past. How she knew where she was… well that was a mystery. It had to have been… sixty years ago since she'd seen this place.

She heard a snapping behind her and she whipped around to face a large man, easily six feet tall, with jet-black hair and deep sapphire eyes. She would know that man anywhere- Donal Bregger.

He had been a Transfiguration master with Minerva, but he had been sent to Azkaban prison after Minerva had testified that she had seen him stealing confidential Transfiguration texts from the Society, which he later gave to Grindelwald.

It was the year after Minerva finished school. She was living in Edinburgh and studying with the Society.

How had he escaped from Azkaban?

But he didn't stop when he saw Minerva; he walked through her as if she was nothing but an apparition.

She tried to call out to him, to demand an explanation as to how he had eluded his life sentence, but she found that she couldn't speak, couldn't utter a word at all.

Her body flooded with panic, and her hand instantly went to her inner robe to pull out her wand, only to find that it was gone, too.

She dashed forward, desperate to find out what exactly was going on.

Donal rounded the corner and went into a secluded house. Minerva followed behind him.

He walked to the back of the house and up a hidden flight of stairs. Minerva trailed close behind, trying to memorize her surroundings.

At the top of the stairs, Donal took a right turn to a dark hallway. There were no windows, only three doors. From behind the furthest door to the left, Minerva could hear a faint sound of crying.

It was this door that Donal approached, and he slowly opened the door to reveal a room lit dimly by two candles on the wall.

Minerva crept to the door and peered inside.

In the middle of the floor there was a empty metal cot, devoid of any mattress, only the harsh metal wiring.

On the cot lay a woman. She was thin and beaten. There were bruises covering the whole of her naked body, and in several places there were cuts and gashes. Dried crimson blood was all over her body and on the floor, and her head covered by a burlap sack.

Her arms, legs, and torso were restrained by magical binds that looked to Minerva like fire bonds- they would burn whoever they were restraining if they were to move.

From the looks of her arms, it was obvious she had been burned severely.

Donal laughed, a cold, merciless, cruel laugh.

Minerva could see the girl's body tense. Minerva ran forward to release the girl, but when she went to touch her, Minerva's fingers went through her as if she were a ghost. Minerva felt desperate, helpless…

There was nothing she could do except for witness whatever was about to happen.

Donal moved around the bed and withdrew his wand.

"Crucio!" He cried, and a flash of red burst from his wand. The girl rose up in pain, her back twisting and contorting against the curse. The binds on her wrist, legs and torso glowed a fierce orange and yellow, and fresh burns appeared.

With another cold laugh, he ended the curse, leaving the girl shaking and crying.

He stepped forward and whispered into her ear. "Giving her up now?"

"Ne….ver…." Came the strangled reply. Her voice was haggard and rough, as if she had been screaming for days on end.

"You know what she did to me. Why are you still protecting her?"

"She… was… right…."

Minerva's heart froze. Could he be talking about her? She was the only one who had testified against him… it was her testimony that had sentenced him to life.

"NO!" He bellowed. "She was wrong! The Darkness' presence is everywhere, and those who have fought against it will pay with blood! Now tell me, where is she?"

The woman didn't reply. Donal yelled out in rage and ripped the bag of her head and slapped her hard across the face. Minerva couldn't see who it was, for Donal had jerked her head to the side so she was facing him.

"You know you're going to die, right?" He sneered at her.

"Then … I… die… for… her…"

Donal drew his hand back and slapped her again, her face jerking to where Minerva was standing.

Her heart froze in her chest. She was staring into Esmerele's face.

She screamed and ran forward, only to find herself falling… falling into a dark whole with no light….

Her body jerked roughly and she screamed again, only to find herself drenched in sweat in her own bed.

She hugged her knees to her and started sobbing. Her dream… no, her nightmare… was so vivid and real. She could smell the blood, hear Esmerele's cries….

She had felt so helpless… Her precious daughter who had never hurt a soul in her life….

She ran her fingers through her hair, only to find that it too was tangled from her cold sweat.

Throwing off the covers and ripping off her gown, she ran into the bathroom and turned on the shower, making the water as cold as possible.

She stood underneath the icy water, body trembling from fear and cold.

Why had she had that dream? She barely dreamed at all, much less had nightmares. Even after Albus had died, her sleep hadn't been plagued by dreams…

When she couldn't feel her hands anymore, she cut off the water and stepped out.

Wrapping herself in her purple robe, she made her way through her bedroom to her study, where she withdrew a bottle of malt whiskey from her cabinet to calm her nerves.

After all, it was only a bad dream… What else could it possibly be?


	2. Chapter 2

Minerva walked to the Great Hall feeling like she'd been hit by the Hogwarts' Express. She had stayed up the rest of the night, not able to go back to sleep after her disturbing dream.

Why had she thought of Donal after all these years? It had been… god, forty years ago easily since his hearing. He had been sentenced to life in Azkaban, and no one had heard anything about him since then.

But had he escaped? Had he been released? Surely not… Not after Grindelwald had used the information he provided to destroy an entire town full of families and young children…

Logically, she argued to herself, there was no reason to believe that anything had changed after forty years.

Still, she had a nagging feeling that something was… off… about the whole thing.

Minerva entered the Great Hall and sat down in her seat, immediately grabbing her mug for coffee. Adding vanilla and caramel, she breathed in the heady scent.

Rolanda Hooch sat down beside her and cast a silencing charm around them.

One thing that most people didn't understand was that Rolanda and Minerva were just about as close as friends could be. They had been in school together and played Quidditch against each other.

Though in different Houses, Minerva in Gryffindor and Rolanda in Hufflepuff, they had always been close friends and confidantes, and during their adult life, they had relied on each other during the Wars. Minerva valued their friendship more than anyone ever knew.

Rolanda turned and narrowed her gold eyes at her friend. "Spill."

"Spill what? My coffee?"

Rolanda rolled her eyes. "Don't be thick. You know that I know something's wrong. Your glamour charms don't go that deep."

Minerva laughed and placed her coffee on the table. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Long story?"

"An unreal story."

Rolanda leaned her arm on the table and propped her head up on her hand. "I'm all ears."

Minerva sighed. "I dreamed last night."

"Congratulations, you and probably a million other people."

Minerva slapped Rolanda's arm and laughed.

"Oh good, I got a laugh from you. Ok, continue."

"As I was saying… I had a dream last night about Donal Bregger."

Rolanda closed her eyes. "Donal Bregger. Donal Bregger. How do I know that name?"

"I testified against him forty years ago and sent him to Azkaban for life."

"The sleaze that stole the Transfiguration texts?"

"The same."

Rolanda narrowed her eyes. "Why are you thinking about him now?"

"I don't know."

"Well what was he doing in the dreams?"

Minerva turned away and picked up her mug. "I don't really remember…"

"Bullshit.

Minerva tightened her grip on the mug. "I don't want to remember."

Rolanda gently touched Minerva's hand. "What happened, Minerva?"

Minerva took a ragged breath and looked up at the sky above her, trying to stop the tears from forming in her eyes. "He had Esmerele."

"Had her…?"

"Bound to a bare metal cot. She had fire binding on her wrists… cuts across her body… a bag over her head… She slapped her, hit her with the Cruciatus curse. She looked so close to death"

"Oh Minerva!"

"And he said she would die… and she just said she would die for me…My baby girl…"

Minerva looked away and wiped her eyes. It wouldn't do to fall apart here in the Great Hall. "Come into the hall with me."

She quickly stood and walked out, Rolanda following behind.

Once they got into the hallway, Minerva collapsed into her friend's arms, tears falling down her face.

"He was going to kill my daughter! I could smell her blood, hear her cries… I could see her perfect green eyes… It was so real…"

Rolanda rubbed Minerva's back in calming, circular motions. "It was just a dream, darling, just a dream. Nothing more."

Minerva pulled away. "I know, but still."

"But still it's scary and disconcerting. But it was just a dream. You don't put any stock into divination, no reason to start now, yeah?"

Minerva gave a small smile. "No reason to start now."

"Good. Better?"

Minerva wiped her eyes. "Yes."

"Alright. Coming back in for breakfast? You look like hell. Drink some more coffee."

Minerva slapped her friend's arm. "Shut up, you don't look like a spring rose either."

Rolanda laughed and walked in, Minerva following behind.

Minerva ate her breakfast with robotic detachment, repeating Rolanda's words in her head.

It was a dream… Nothing more.

It was a dream… Nothing more.

Xxxxxx

Minerva went through her day like always- making her rounds to the classrooms, having conferences with teachers and final year students, and doing endless paperwork.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake her thoughts about Donal Bregger.

By four o'clock, she had had enough.

She sent a quick note to Filius saying that she would be going to the Ministry of Magic for a while and would be back as soon as possible.

Minerva walked out into the crisp autumn morning towards the front gate.

She loved Hogwarts at the start of term. Everything seemed so… fresh and alive. The students weren't anxious to get home for the Holiday Break; the teachers weren't exhausted by the latest antics (that invariably came from the Weasley shop). It was nice.

Looking back at the castle, Minerva closed her eyes and conjured up a picture of the alley across from the Ministry. She felt the familiar pull and when she opened her eyes she was in the dark alley across from the phone booth.

She entered the phone booth and dialed her personal access code, and with a lurch the booth was hurled underground. It came to a stop on the fifth floor where the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt, was working.

Minerva exited the booth and made her way down the hall. She stopped and Kingsley's door and knocked.

"Come in."

Minerva opened the door. "Minister…"

"Minerva! A pleasant surprise to see you here!" He shook her hand. "What brings you into the Ministry on this fine day?"

"It's good to see you too. And I have an inquiry about a certain person."

Kingsley nodded and leaned against his desk. He motioned for Minerva to sit in the chair across from him.

Minerva sat down. "It's about a prisoner."

"Azkaban?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Donal Bregger."

For a brief instant, Kingsley's face fell, but by the moment Minerva had registered it, it was gone. But she had seen it.

"I don't know the name."

"Perhaps I shall remind you…"

"Not necessary, Headmistress. I assure you, nothing is amiss."

Minerva arched her eyebrow. "And if I were to inquire about Donal to some people in Azkaban who are loyal to me?"

Kingsley sighed and threw up his hands. Moving behind his desk, he opened the top drawer on the left and pulled out several pieces of parchment in a file.

"I think this is what you need, Minerva."

Minerva took the folder and opened it.

Donal Bregger

Incarcerated on September 12, 1949

Charges: Accessory to Homicide, High Treason, Crimes against the Wizarding World, Aiding and Abetting, Conspiracy, Espionage, and Obstruction of Justice.

Sentencing: Life Sentence in Azkaban with no chance of Sentence Reduction

Skills: Level Two Transfiguration Master

Registered Animagus: Red Wolf

Wand: 13 1/6 inches Maple, Holly, and American Pine. Core of Dragon Heartstring, Unicorn Hair, and Hippogriff feather. Destroyed upon incarceration.

Wizengamot Trial: May- August 1949. Pleaded Not Guilty.

Note: Minerva McGonagall- Testified for the Prosecution

Minerva looked up at Kingsley. "I know all of this."

Kingsley shook his head. "Next page, Minerva."

Minerva felt her hands began to tremble. She didn't want to turn the page. She didn't want to confirm her suspicions. She wanted everything to be fine.

Most of all, she wanted her daughter to be alive.

With a cold dread in her heart, she turned the page and began to read.

ALERT TO THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

On October 2, 2010, Donal Bregger escaped from Azkaban prison at approximately 2300 hours.

During the routine night inspection, it appears that Bregger attacked a guard. From the injuries, we believe that he sharpened a small piece of rock that had broken off from the walls and used it to stab the guard.

After the attack, we believe Bregger used the guard's wand to unlock his gates and transfigure himself into an animagus or another animal form. The Dementors were alerted when the guard's body was found approximately twenty minutes later, but Bregger was not found on site or in the surrounding waters.

We ask that the Ministry dispatch an Unspeakable Division to search for Bregger immediately.

According to the last assessment made my healers at Azkaban, Bregger has been identified with psychosis. His anger, however, is aimed at a certain person, though he did not disclose the name of this person to anyone in Azkaban. We do not feel that he is a threat to society; however, we believe it is urgent that he is found and taken back into custody.

Sincerely,

Gregory Blaine, Head of Azkaban Prison

Minerva felt herself grow hot with anger.

"AND YOU DIDN'T BOTHER TO TELL ME THAT THE MAN I PUT IN PRISON ESCAPED?"

She threw the file on his desk and stood up, violently pushing the chair back in anger.

"Minerva, you are not in any danger! He can't get to you at Hogwarts!"

"BUT HE CAN GET TO MY CHILDREN!"

Minerva grabbed the back of the chair, bracing herself. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think… Donal had escaped… that reality hit her like an Unforgivable Curse.

Kingsley stared at Minerva. "What did you say?"

Minerva felt the tears gather in her eyes. "My children. I have children…"

Kingsley stood up and moved around his desk to stand face to face with Minerva. "There is nothing in your file…"

"Of course there is nothing in my file! Why do you think my file is so scant to begin with? Haven't you noticed it changes every five minutes? How many wars have I lived through? I watched my mother and father die at Grindelwald's hands! I watched my husband die at Voldemort's hands! Do you think for one second I would let the world know that I had children? I know they would be the first target if someone wanted to get to me!"

Kingsley's head was spinning. "You were married? To whom?"

Minerva rolled her eyes, the tears running down her cheeks. "Albus."

"Oh, Minerva, why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I, Kingsley? My life is a mystery to everyone."

"Does anyone know?"

Minerva sighed. "Rolanda Hooch."

Kingsley gave her an odd look.

Minerva waved her hand in dismissal. "She's a life long friend. She witnessed my marriage."

"Minerva, I need to know who your children are."

Minerva's eyes went wide with fear. "No, I can't… Kingsley, I really can't…"

"Minerva- I need to send a division out to protect them."

She wracked her brain for a solution. "Take an Unbreakable Vow."

"What?"

"Please. Promise me that you won't reveal why you're protecting them or who their parents really are. Promise me, Kingsley. Promise me this won't leave this room."

Kingsley gently took Minerva's hand. He removed his wand and muttered the incantation. A green rope bound their hands together.

"Minerva, I promise I will not reveal your children's real identity, or the identity of their real parents. I promise I will not reveal that you and Albus were married."

The green fell away and Minerva released his hand.

"Who are your children, Minerva?"

Minerva took a deep breath. "Percival Brian, Tessa Rousseau, and Esmerele Brian."

Kingsley's face fell. "Esmerele Brian? The Transfiguration Master? The head of the Society's Department of Research?"

Minerva nodded. "She's mine. Why?"

Kingsley covered his face. "Minerva… I don't want to be the one to tell you…"

Minerva clutched the chair, her heart stopping, stomach lurching, blood freezing… dreading what she was about to hear. "My god, Kingsley, what happened to her? What happened to my baby?"

"She's missing, Minerva. She's been missing for four days."

"Four days…" Minerva fell to her knees, sobbing…

Kingsley ran over to help her up but Minerva pushed him roughly away.

"Details…"

"Minerva…"

"Give me the goddamn details!"

Kingsley sighed. "She didn't show up to the Order and one of her colleagues was worried and went to her house. It was ransacked and there was evidence of a struggle. Her wand was found broken on the floor."

Minerva steeled her voice. "I have to find her."

"Minerva, no. Do no not try to take him on yourself."

Minerva's eyes flared in anger, her emerald eyes turning dark with hate. "Do not tell me what I can or cannot do! That is my daughter! And I am Minerva McGonagall, the most iconic witch and head of the most fabled institution in the Wizarding World! I can do whatever the hell I want to!"

"Minerva, where are you going?"

Minerva jerked the door open. "To Scotland. I have to save my daughter."

"And what makes you so sure you can?"

She froze. "I know where she is."

"Minerva!"

But she was already walking out the door, wand out, and in a flash she apparated, arriving at the pathway of her nightmare.


	3. Chapter 3

Minerva apparated back to the front gate and stormed into Hogwarts.

Morphing into her Animagus, she bolted down the hallway and up the stairs to her office.

Moving to her desk, she sent a note to Filius and Rolanda asking them to come to her office immediately.

Next she wrote a letter to Tessa and Percival. Percival's letter was short; she simply asked him to come to Hogwarts immediately. Tessa's, however, she knew would have to be very persuasive and sincere in order for her to listen.

Tessa,

I know we haven't been on the best of terms. I blame myself for it completely.

You know I would not ask anything of you unless it was of the up most importance.

Forty years ago, I testified against a man who aided Grindelwald in the war.

He was sentenced to Azkaban for life, but he has escaped.

I don't know this for sure, but I believe he has located you and your siblings, and I believe you are in danger.

Your sister is missing. I am going today to look for her.

I know your husband is a skilled wizard and you are an amazing witch, but I beg you, please come to Hogwarts where I know you will be protected.

Please, please come home.

Love,

Mathair

She signed the letter with the Gaelic word for mother, hoping that it would show Tessa how serious she was.

Banishing the notes to the professors and to the owlry, she moved behind her bookcase to her vault. Inside laid two spare wands, one of them an ornate and elaborate gift from Albus with Gaelic inscriptions, the other a sturdy, rigid one she had purchased during her first war.

She grabbed the latter wand and shut the vault. She went up to her private chambers to change her outfit. She was currently wearing her Hogwarts' robes- the standard yet intricate emerald outer and inner robe. They were comfortable, but heavy, and certainly not what she needed to be wearing if she were to face Donal in a duel.

She took off her inner and outer robes and tossed them onto her bed. Opening her wardrobe, she selected a thin black turtle neck and black, loose slacks. She had never understood why some witches would wear dresses in battle. She had to be able to move. Maybe it came from being a tomboy as a young child…

She then grabbed her outer robe, also black. She laughed at her reflection- she looked like a classic Muggle's view of a witch.

She took off her heeled ankle boots for a flat pair that went up past her calves. They were standard riding boots, but Minerva found they were much better for walking and moving about swiftly.

She tucked her spare wand into her boot. She didn't know if she would need it, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Moving to her bathroom, she opened her jewelry box and withdrew a small coin with a depiction of St. Mungo's on it. The coin was a portkey- Albus' idea during the first war with Voldemort- and it would allow Minerva to transport herself to the trauma ward if something were to happen.

She then grabbed her wedding ring. Stupid, really, to feel like she needed it. But if she were to die, she wanted a part of Albus there with her.

She walked downstairs to her office and opened her potions stores. She grabbed a pepper up potion and a healing potion and tucked them away in her pockets and magically sealed them up.

Hearing the Gargoyle move, she turned around to see the door opening, and Rolanda and Filius stepped into the office.

"What's going on?" Rolanda asked, not waiting for Minerva to speak.

"Donal Bregger has escaped from Azkaban." She said without pretext.

Rolanda's jaw dropped opened. Filius looked like he was going to pass out.

"Esmerele is also missing. I have a feeling about where she is, so I'm going to Scotland to find her."

"Esmerele?" Filius asked.

"A close friend." Minerva answered ambiguously.

Rolanda shook her head. "No, Minerva. This is foolish! Do not go find this psycho yourself! Let the Unspeakable Division take care of it!"

"Really, Minerva, what would happen if you got hurt too? You'd be no use to anyone!"

Minerva took a deep breath. "I know the risks. But I'm still going."

Rolanda looked hard at her best friend. "Nothing we say is going to matter, is it?"

Minerva gave Rolanda a sad look, but a firm one. "No, it isn't."

"And what should we do here?" Her deputy asked.

"If anyone asks, tell them I am taking time off at the manor and would like to be left alone."

They both nodded. Rolanda rushed forward and hugged Minerva. "Be careful."

"I will."

With that, Minerva pulled the wards toward her and apparated to the front gate.

With one last look back at her castle, she apparated, floating above the sky, landing in Edinburgh in front of the International Transfiguration Society.

Xxxxx

Tessa heard a faint tapping at her window. Outside sat a small black owl, one that she hadn't seen before.

She grabbed a small biscuit from the table and opened the window, rewarding the small bird and grabbing the letter.

She instantly felt her ire rise as the unmistakable hand and stamp: extremely curvy and precise script handwriting and a double M stamp.

Her mother.

Groaning, she slit open the letter and began to read...

… I know your husband is a skilled wizard and you are an amazing witch, but I beg you, please come to Hogwarts where I know you will be protected.

Please, please come home.

Love,

Mathair

Tessa felt two arms wrap around her waist and a gentle kiss on her neck.

"Who's the letter from?" her husband Jacques asked.

"My mother." Tessa said bitterly.

"And what does she say?"

"To come to Hogwarts because we're in danger and Esmerele's missing."

"Don't you think we should?"

"No. Most likely Mom is over reacting and Esmerele has simply left of her own free will. I doubt that she would be kidnapped anyway, she's as good at evading as Mom is."

Jacques thought for a minute. "Why are we in danger?"

"Some man Mom testified against has escaped from Azkaban."

"And she thinks he's after us? Why?"

"I have no idea. The wizarding world doesn't even know she has children, so how could some convict know that?"

Jacques moved his hands down her waist to her hips, his lips gently kissing her ears and down her neck. "Then I think we need to do something else."

Tessa moaned and leaned into her husband, feeling him through her cotton dress. "What do you have in mind?" She whispered.

He spun her around and kissed her roughly. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his hips, grinding in sync with their kisses.

They moved upstairs to the bedroom, throwing their clothes off with abandon. Their sounds of pleasure filled the house.

In their frenzied passion, neither of them heard the sound of glass shattering downstairs, or the splintering wood from the doorframe.

They didn't hear the heavy footfalls on the winding staircase.

They didn't hear the labored breathing as Donal walked down the hall towards their bedroom.

They didn't hear anything until it was too late. And in a green flash, Donal sent the killing curse rippling through Jacques' body.

Tessa tried to scream, but in another blinding flash, her consciousness slipped away, falling into the black hole of some deserted, hopeless plane.

Xxxxx

Minerva strode into the Society's front lobby. Immediately the receptionist rose. "Headmistress,"

"I need to speak to Grace O'Malley." Grace was the head of the Society- she was the master Minerva studied under.

"I'm sorry, but…"

"No. Now." Minerva demanded. "I must see her NOW."

The receptionist backed away, for Minerva's eyes had turned dark and the air around them grew cold.

"Upstairs, third door on the right."

She had barely finished her sentence before Minerva darted up the stairs, all but running down the hall towards the door.

Without knocking, she opened the door and entered. Grace was sitting at her desk, quill moving slowly across parchment.

"Minerva? What in the wor…"

"Where did Esmerele Brian live?"

Grace looked taken aback. "You and I both know I can't give out information…"

"She's missing, Grace! And I need to know where she lived so I can find out where she might be now!"

Grace stood up. "She isn't at her house, Minerva, they have already searched it for clues!"

"Not like I can!" Minerva argued, meeting Grace's hard gaze.

Grace folded her arms. "I'm not telling you, Minerva. You know that's against the Society's…"

"Screw the Society and your goddamn rules!" Minerva cried.

"Why is she so important to you! Why should you care?"

Minerva clenched her wand. "I can't tell you, but you have to believe me!"

Grace shook her head. "I can't just go on your word."

Minerva felt like crying. This was getting no where. "I know who has taken her! His name is Donal Bregger,"

Minerva had no more said his name when Grace whipped around and scribbled something down on parchment.

"What are you writing, Grace, I'm trying to tell you,"

"And I'm giving you her address. If Donal's behind this, I want him stopped. Here. That's where she lives."

Minerva exhaled and grabbed the letter. "Thank you."

"Be careful, Minerva."

Minerva read the address. 146 Rose Street. Minerva smiled- that had been where she lived too.

Without hesitating, she apparated to Rose Street. It was a street lined with apartment buildings. Once a high end district, it now gave way to middle income families and different small shops and cafes.

It hadn't changed much since Minerva had been here.

Minerva hurried across the street to the door labeled 146. With a flick of her wrist, the door unlocked and she walked inside.

In front of her was a flight of stairs, and she carefully moved upwards.

At the top of the stairs there was another door that was already opened. Minerva went inside and surveyed the damage.

It was ransacked, alright. The furniture was upturned, the paintings were torn off the walls, and the floor was littered with debris. Minerva looked along the wall and saw scorch marks from spells.

It wasn't hard to tell which marks came from Esmerele and which came from Donal.

Esmerele's marks were perfect, precise lines with distinct magical markings. Donal's were jagged and uneven, obviously fueled by anger.

Minerva inhaled deeply. She picked up her daughter's distinct smell- lilac and ginger. The other was foul, obviously from years spent in Azkaban.

She then moved to the wall where one of Donal's curses had gone astray.

Minerva moved her wand in a broad arc, pulling out the section of wall scorched by the spell. She then cast another spell, pulling apart the wood from the magical signature left by Donal's wand.

It wasn't easy- the signature had been left days ago, and the trace, if there was any left, would be faint and hard to discern.

Still, she took apart every piece, peeling the wood layer by layer.

She was growing impatient.

"Where is it, goddamn it?" She cried.

Ten minutes had past and she still found nothing.

Finally, in the last few sections, she found a small trace of magic.

With another flick, she raised the signature into the air. Another flick and she sent it sailing into her own wand.

"Dutractum." Minerva said, raising her wand.

She felt her wand shake and pull- it was taking the magical signature and tracking it- and suddenly she felt herself being pulled, landing in the clearing she had seen before.

She glanced around, but she didn't see the house. She morphed into her animagus and took off in a sprint, running down the road at break-neck speed, desperate to find the house.

She rounded a curve and up a small hill. At the top, she stopped and looked below. There was a small side street at the bottom, and at the end of the gravel road there sat the house.

Heart pounding, she took off again, cutting through the clearing to reach it faster.

When the house was but a few yards away, she morphed back, withdrawing her wand and cautiously stepping forward.

From behind her, she heard a faint rustling. Whipping around, she felt more than saw a curse fly toward her. Reflex more than conscious action jerked her body to the side, dodging the spell as it flew past her body.

Instantly she was firing back, at first casting shield charms on the defensive.

She couldn't see who exactly she was aiming towards. There was a cloud of smoke and sand blocking her vision.

Still, she continued defensive spells, pushing whoever her assailant was backwards.

Her opponent fired back, sending hexes her way. Still her feline reflexes kept her moving about; dodging spells this way and that.

Switching to the offensive, Minerva arched her wand, rising up the ground. Another flick, and the dirt and grass transfigured into steel daggers, making a firing line easily 30 feet wide.

Another flick, and she sent them hurdling forward towards her opponent.

She heard a yell- clearly they had been hit.

She then arched her wand again, sending a gust of wind forward, clearing out the air and her line of vision.

Before her was Donal, and she felt herself grow hot with anger, but pleased at the sight of his leg- it was torn apart, blood running out of an open gash, a fragment of bone shining through his nasty trousers.

Donal was raising his wand again, but Minerva moved faster, pulling up rocks from the ground and hurling them in his direction.

He countered, sending them shooting back to Minerva.

She flicked her wrist again, and they were moving backwards, this time on fire, morphing together into a ball of heat.

Again Donal flicked his wrist, but only to push the fire away.

Minerva then pulled up the ground around his feet, turning it into sulfuric acid.

Donal screamed, his feet and wounded leg now soaked in the corrosive liquid.

He flicked his wand, changing the acid back to water, but Minerva had already cast another curse, sending him flying backwards, fire bindings wrapping around his limbs, pinning him to the cold ground.

Minerva strode forward, and with a flick she sent his wand sprawling into her hands.

She stood in front of him, glaring down at Donal Bregger.

He looked ragged, still tall and massive as always, but haggard. His cheeks were sunken in, his teeth were rotten and cracked, his arms covered in faded prison tattoos, his clothes torn and soiled.

And he smelled like death.

He laughed, that same cold laugh that had plagued Minerva's mind.

"Here to kill me, Minerva?" He snarled.

Minerva snapped his wand in half. "I'm here to give you back to the dementors. I'm sure they'd love a kiss from you."

Donal laughed, not in the least bit worried. "Really? You would give me up so easily?" He laughed again.

Minerva grew angrier by the minute. "I think I've won, Donal. You seem to be… we'll let's just say your injuries are quite worrisome."

Donal sneered. "I'm not worried, Minerva. Because I know where your children are. Do you?"

Minerva hesitated, but Donal lurched on. "No, I suppose you don't know where they are. But in a few minutes, this wound on my leg will exsanguinate, and I will die of blood loss. Now, here are your choices. Kill me now or let me die and you will never know where your children are. Or, let me live another day, and there is a better chance that your children survive another day. You choose Minerva. Tick tock tick tock tick tock."

Minerva yelled out in frustration. She knew she had to let him go. Because in truth, she didn't know where any of her children were.

She flicked her wrist and released his bonds, and with a haunting laugh, Donal apparated away.

Minerva stared at the ground for a minute, wondering if she had made the right choice.

But, unable to think any longer, she turned around and ran into the house, bounding up the stairs.

It was pitch black, but she moved around from memory. She could smell Esmerele in the house. Was she too late?

The last door was bolted shut. Minerva raised her wand and burst the door open with a deafening crash.

"Esmerele!" Minerva cried out in agony.

There on the cot lay her daughter. She looked worse than she had in the dream. Her bindings were released, but still she lay there, unmoving, unflinching.

She looked thin and emaciated. When was the last time she had eaten?

The burns on her arms, legs, and stomach were easily third degree, and there was a distinct smell of burnt flesh in the room.

Her gashes were still leaking blood, some had only faintly began to clot.

Minerva ran forward and pressed her fingers to Esmerele's throat, terrified that she wouldn't feel a pulse of life underneath.

She held her breath. She didn't feel anything.

She wouldn't give up; she pressed her head against her daughter's chest, getting blood on her face and clothes.

At first, silence. Then she heard it, the faint strum of a heartbeat.

Minerva exhaled with relief. Reaching into her inner robes, she withdrew the portkey.

Xxxxx

Minerva held her daughter in her arms, walking into the trauma ward. "Help! Someone! I need a healer!"

Minerva could feel her arms and legs growing weak. "Please! Someone!"

A healer rounded the corner, freezing at the sight of Esmerele's naked, beaten body and the iconic Headmistress holding her.

"Don't just stare! Help me!" She cried.

The healer flicked her wrist and an alarm went off, summoning those in the vicinity to the trauma ward.

The healer grabbed a gurney from a nearby room, and Minerva rushed forward and gently placed Esmerele on it. Instantly, four other healers appeared, and they began running down the hallway, rushing Esmerele into the nearest trauma room.

"Condition?"

"She's been beaten, cut, and the Cruciatus curse has been used on her. Blood loss, contusions, loss of consciousness. There is barely a pulse."

"Does she have family?"

"Yes."

"She will need a transfusion."

Minerva nodded. "Yes."

"Name?"

"Esmerele Brian."

"Thank you Headmistress, we'll take her from here."

The healers rushed Esmerele through a large double door, and Minerva stood there staring.

Have I saved her in time? Would she survive her injuries?

Was there permanent damage? Would she ever recover?

And what was to happen to my other children? Will I be too late for them?

What good is magic if I can't even save my own children?

Minerva sank to the floor and broke down into sobs, her tears mingling with her daughter's blood, making ruby red lines fall down her face and onto the white tile floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Xxxxx

Cold.

Dark.

Stone.

Pain.

Tessa blinked, floating on the surface of consciousness.

Her hands and feet felt numb. Her skin was icy, goose bumps covering her flesh, making her tremble in the biting air.

She tried to focus her vision, but the space was devoid of any light.

She ran her hands along the ground. It felt like stone. Not smooth like marble, but not ragged.

She tried to straighten her legs, but a stabbing pain shot up her left knee. She cried out in pain and reached down. Her knee cap had been twisted out of the socket.

Tears threatened her eyes. Breathing heavily, she tried to get her pain under control.

She reached up and couldn't feel a ceiling. She reached out- no walls.

So the space was wider and taller than expected. Her feelings of claustrophobia began to wane.

But why was she here?

She remembered... An owl?... A letter?... A letter from who?...

She felt her heart pounding in her head. A migraine was beginning to take hold behind her eyes.

Laying down, she closed her eyes, trying to sooth her nerves.

But she couldn't remember how she had gotten here. Or how she'd gotten hurt.

Jacques. Where was he?

Tessa tried to call out, but her throat was dry and ragged.

She heard a rustling behind her and saw a small flicker of light.

A familiar voice said, "Well, look who has decided to wake up."

She tried to turn, but she felt a blinding pain rip through her back, forcing her muscles to contort and tense.

She heard a cold, merciless laugh.

Her memory flooded back in a millisecond.

Before she could even process it, there was another flash of light, and she fell back on the stone, passing out from the agonizing pain.

Xxxxx

Minerva paced around the pristine lobby. It had been two hours since she'd heard anything from any of the healers.

No news was good news right?

Or was no news bad news?

Whatever the case, the anticipation was getting to her.

She heard rather than saw Kingsley walk through the front door. She wished she could run away and evade his questioning about the incident.

No such luck.

"Minerva!" He called out.

Minerva turned around. "Minister."

"What happened?"

Minerva raised her hand. "I don't want to discuss it right now; I'll send you a statement."

"You need to go home."

Minerva's eyes flared but Kingsley pushed on, "People are asking questions about why you're here. Don't you see how odd it looks that the Headmistress of Hogwarts is over here with a Society witch?"

Minerva started to protest, but realized that he was probably right. "Ok." She said weakly.

Kingsley patted her arm. "Rest. Shower. Eat. I'll let you know if anything happens."

"I'll keep my Floo open."

He nodded and Minerva took out her port key. In a flash she was back in her office.

She instantly flew to her inbox pile to see if there was a letter from Tessa or Percival.

Stupid, she knew that they wouldn't respond so quickly.

Minerva dropped her wands on her desk and walked into the bathroom.

Stripping her clothes, she threw them down the waste chute. She couldn't handle looking any longer at her daughter's blood.

She opened the door and threw them down. Turning to the mirror, she looked at herself for the first time today.

She looked awful.

She had blood on her hands, arms, face and hair, and a nasty bruise was on her arm from a stray rock. Her long black hair was tangled and matted, her bun now hanging loosely at the base of her neck.

She turned away and stepped into her shower. Instantly the water came on, and the water running hot on her body and on the shower floor. The blood and dirt began mingling with the water, making crimson streams on the tile.

The sight of it made something snap in Minerva, and she found herself shaking and crying uncontrollably.

She wept for her daughter, her sweet, gorgeous daughter, whose life was now held in the hands of healers.

She wept for Tessa, for their practically non-existent relationship.

She wept for Percival, whom she could look at and see her husband one more time- and how easily he too could be taken away.

She wept for Albus, and the fact that he couldn't be here to save the world again.

And she wept for herself, for the possibility that she couldn't do her duty as a mother and save her children.

Minerva didn't want to face the fact that the world she had so carefully hidden her children from was cracking, and for once in her life, she had no control.

She just sat on the floor, crying for all she was worth. Her breaths were labored, and she pounded the walls with her fist.

She was hurting and she was alone, and to her, it was a crippling combination.

When her tears stopped flowing and her breaths became more even, Minerva finally pulled herself up and cut off the water.

She opened the door and grabbed her bathrobe and walked to the vanity.

The steam was sitting in the air like a winter morning fog.

She grabbed her toothbrush and hairbrush and sat them on the counter.

With a small movement of her long fingers, she dried her hair and began brushing it out. Her hair was so long when she didn't put it up- it nearly touched her lower back.

Instead of magically putting her hair in a braid, she worked her fingers through her hair and twisted the locks herself. The rhythm and feeling was a good distraction.

She finished and tied a ribbon around it. She then grabbed her toothbrush and paste and brushed her teeth.

When she opened the vanity again, her eyes caught a glimpse of a small purple bottle labeled: Dreamless Drought- for the best sleep a witch or wizard can get!

She reached for it and unscrewed the bottle, then she stopped.

Dreams. She had to dream. That was what gave her the clue the first time, wasn't it? Maybe tonight she'd do the same thing and perhaps find something out...

She shook her head. "Don't put your trust in Divination," she muttered to herself. "Don't you start now. You are too goddamn old."

She started to drink the potion, but she just couldn't.

Screwing the top back on, she extinguished the lights and moved to her bedroom. From her wardrobe she pulled out a thin night dress and placed her robe at the end of the bed.

Kneeling, she grabbed a small canister from the hearth and threw the green powder into the small fire.

"Minister of Magic." She said.

The flames crackled and parted, giving her a view of Kingsley's office.

"Kingsley..." She called.

She heard a rustling and a scrape, and a chair was pushed in front of the fireplace and the Minister sat down.

"Minerva. You look better."

"I look like shit and I know it. News?"

"Esmerele will survive. She's suffered from blood loss and malnutrition but she is alright. The healers have her in a coma now and they are working on her spine injuries."

"Spine injuries?"

"Cruciatus curse."

Minerva closed her eyes. "Oh..."

Kingsley sighed. "Get some rest, Minerva. Nothing will change. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I have to attend to my school first."

"But then come here."

"Yes."

And with that, she closed the fire. She stood up and crawled into bed, pulling the thick down comforter around her body.

She shut her eyes and tried to focus on her summers at the manor, when the Scotland skies blended in with the white-capped waters...

Xxxxx

Percival sat drinking his coffee. He was glad he'd taken this sudden vacation to Ireland. He liked Belclare. He liked the wind off the salty waters and the whispers of the high grass.

It was so quiet and serene here. And he even liked the fact that he lived in a Muggle town. He never really understood why his mother used to do every little thing with magic. He rather liked the simple things- cutting food, hauling wood, and even cleaning.

His small house on a side road was his little get away from the stress of working with potions all day long.

He liked to visit the alchemy stores and pharmacies in Muggle towns. He always seemed to find mixtures that helped tremendously with his work.

Percival arched his back and stood up. He heard an odd sound and turned his head.

Seeing nothing, he picked up his mug and went to move inside.

He heard the faint sound again.

He spun around and met two big brown eyes.

Big brown owl eyes.

A rather large owl sat on top of his vacated seat and looked intently at Percival. He picked up his leg with the letter attached.

"Well hi there. And thank you. Let me get you a treat."

The bird hooted and ruffled its feathers.

Percival walked inside and grabbed a slice of bacon off the counter and walked back outside.

"Here ya go. You may sit and rest, if you'd like. Or go inside, there's water beside the hearth."

The bird hooted and gently flew up and onto the porch.

Percival looked at the letter.

Mom. Double M and fancy script.

Opening it, he read the short note.

Perc,

Please come to Hogwarts. I fear you are in danger.  
I'd rather not explain it all here, but I assure you it is serious.  
Please come home as quickly as possible.  
Love,  
Mathair

Percival frowned. He was going back there this weekend. Why was she so anxious?

Shrugging, he walked back inside and laid his coffee on the table.

Well, he thought, if she wants me there, fine.

Besides, he wouldn't mind rummaging around the potion room stores.

He went into this room and threw his clothes in his bag. He grabbed his toiletries and stuffed them in the side pocket.

He went to shut the deck door, but saw the owl was still there.

"Hogwarts?"

The bird nodded.

Percival held out his arm. "I'm going too."

The bird gently flew up and landed on his arm. "And you are?"

The owl raised its leg. On the carrier was stamped FORTUNA.

"Well, Fortuna, lovely to meet you."

She blinked and cocked her head. Percival chuckled and slid the door shut. He flicked his wrist and all the doors locked.

Grabbing the powder, he threw it into the fire. With one last look back, he said "Mathair's rooms," and he and Fortuna walked into the fire.

Xxxxx

It was dark. Silent.

Minerva cautiously crept forward in her Animagus form, her little paws making not a sound on the stone floor.

She noticed two scents. One was Donal, the other was Tessa. She could always identify Tessa. The one thing she had adopted from her mother? An addiction to ginger newts and rose perfume.

Creeping forward, she saw the pathway fork. She sniffed and went right.

She could hear a rattling and a clinking.

The hall twisted down, becoming steeper and colder as she descended.

Water began dripping from the ceiling, and she jerked whenever one hit her back.

Around another curve and there was a thick wooden door. She moved towards it and peered through a crack.

A small candle flickered in the distance, casting dancing shadows on the adjacent wall.

She pressed her ear to the door, but heard nothing.

She thought she could see something in the corner, but before she could look, she felt a small tremor, and the corridor began to collapse.

She tried to morph back into her human form, but her shape wouldn't change.

Desperate, she began clawing at the door in a vain attempt to get in.

She looked around. The ceiling wouldn't hold much longer.

She jumped and tried to grab the door, claws extending in a desperate effort to stay on the wood.

With another shudder, the ceiling gave way.

She turned and watched, petrified as the cascading rocks hurled towards her.

She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the crushing death about to come...

But when she opened her eyes, she was back in her room at Hogwarts.

"Goddamn it." She whispered.

Xxxxx

A bolt of red light burst from the end of the wand, scorcing the wall of the empty apartment.

Donal was furious. He had finally tracked down the McGonagall boy's house and he wasn't even there.

Donal raised his wand and instantly the drawers and cabinets flew open, spewing their contents onto the floor.

He didn't know what he would find, but he had to find where McGonagall manor was. Because if he could find that, he could kill Minerva.

Damn her. How confident she was when she worked with the Society- strutting around with her nose in the air like she had some right to be there.

He had hated her and wanted her at the same time.

She, of course, took no notice of him. She was too busy with her own research and study. And her and that Grace were always together.

But he had won her over, for a short time. He remembered it vividly.

They were in the library, and their hands had brushed when they reached for a quill on the table.

She had blushed. That he remembered.

From then on they kept bumping into each other, both of them becoming more bold with each encounter.

With the war looming, Donal had decided to stay neutral. Minerva, on the other hand, made it very clear that she was not sympathetic to Grindelwald's cause.

When he could barely take her emerald gaze, he had finally asked her out to dinner.

Amazingly, she had agreed.

But they never made it to dinner, not even once.

He'd arrived to her flat and when she opened the door, they pounced on each other.

He had pinned her to the wall. She had leapt up and wrapped her legs around him.

They had kissed with reckless abandon, their bodies frantically grinding against each other.

They hadn't even taken off their clothes. He'd simply taken her right there in the foyer.

And they never went to dinner, not once in their six month passionate affair.

They didn't speak of it at work either. Somehow they both knew that what they had was like a runaway train- it was fast, mad, and hard, but it couldn't last.

Five months into the affair, he had sworn his alliance with Grindelwald's army. His task? Stealing Transfiguration texts that would allow Grindelwald to poison the air with a flick of his wand, allowing him to kill anyone without a trace.

And who had those texts? Minerva.

Donal remembered that night. Minerva was sleeping soundly on the bed. He had crept up and went to her library. It was enormous; obviously she had charmed the room so it appeared smaller on the outside.

There were easily hundreds of books. He had nowhere to start.

He moved to her fireplace and threw in the powder. Casting a silencing charm around Minerva's room, he called in Bain and Tibbet né Long- two of Grindelwald's top wizards.

Quietly they crept out of the fire and moved to the bookcase. Bain pulled out a picture and description of the book they were looking for.

They began searching methodically, staring at the top and working their way down.

About an hour later, Donal found a fake book. It was wooden. He touched the books adjacent- wooden too.

Bain and Tibbet watched, and Donal shot out a spell, splintering the wood and revealing the books hidden within.

Donal reached for the book, but when he did, the other books began flying like bludgers off the shelves, nearly knocking him off the ladder.

"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Tibbet yelled.

Levitating himself, he grabbed the book and flew down, books battering him as he struggled forward.

The door flew open, and Minerva stood there with her wand raised.

"The book! Throw the goddamn book!" Bain yelled. He already had one foot through the Floo.

"No!" Minerva cried, shooting out a spell to stop Donal's movement.

But Donal was quicker, and the book landed squarely in Bain's hand before Minerva's spell sent Donal sprawling back against the wall.

Before she could cast another one to stop Bain, the fire closed and he was gone.

Donal couldn't look Minerva in the eye. Her emerald eyes betrayed her true feelings- anger, resentment, betrayal, and hurt.

She didn't hesitate twice before angrily grabbing his arm and apparating them to the Ministry. She had sounded the alarm immediately after appearing in the lobby, and before Donal could speak he was taken away to holding, and Minerva was striding to the Auror's office to give her account.

During the trial, Minerva didn't look at him once. And she didn't admit to their affair- she claimed he had broken into her house.

Normally a memory would cloud if altered, but Minerva had only released her memory from the moment she awoke to the noise, which didn't contradict her statement.

And really, who was the Wizengamot going to believe? His word, or Minerva McGonagall, already the most renowned Transfiguration expert in the world?

He had been sentenced to life.

But now that he was free, he was ripe to kill her.

Damn her for ruining his life. He had suffered for forty years in Azkaban, his very soul shattering from the daily torment of dementors.

He wasn't who he was then. Then he was just a pawn. Now, he was his own commander.

And he wanted Minerva to suffer like he had.

One thing she had let slip during their affair- her magic reserve was tied to her family.

Through some information exchanges in Azkaban, he'd learned that she had a family mansion hidden in Scotland, protected by blood wards and enchantments so complex that no person has ever penetrated the walls.

Find the house and destroy it, you'd deplete nearly all of the McGonagall clan's magic stores.

That was his goal, and he was going to kill her and her family, even if it was the last thing he'd ever do.


	5. Chapter 5

Xxxxx

Minerva threw off the covers and ran to the bathroom.

Lunging for the toilet, she fell on her knees and threw up whatever was left in her system. It tasted like pure bile, and it burned her throat and mouth.

She kept heaving even when everything was gone. She could hear the rocks falling, could feel the ground shaking- and worse- could smell her daughter from beyond the closed door.

Was she safe? Was she alive? Had she given Donal any information? Was she hurt like Esmerele?

When the dry heaves finally stopped, Minerva rolled onto the cool tile and pressed her cheek against the cold.

From her office she heard a clock chime. 2 am. Barely two hours of sleep.

Pushing herself up, she slowly sat up and leaned against the wall. Her head was pounding against her eyes.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. In... Out... In... Out...

Slowly, she felt the nausea begin to fade, and with careful movements she stood up.

She whispered a spell and the shower transformed into a large bathtub. Water instantly filled the tub. Another spell, and the water turned hot and infused with lavender.

She took off her nightdress and stepped into the water. There was nothing more healing to her than swimming.

She lowered herself under the water and let the heat cover her whole body, healing her, cleansing her, refreshing her.

She stayed in there for nearly an hour. Though her skin was pruned, she felt better.

Pushing herself up and out, she grabbed her purple robe and banished the tub.

Not bothering to look in the mirror, she slowly made her way back to her bed.

Sitting down, she summoned a quill and parchment and scribbled a quick note to the kitchen.

She knew what she needed. Chicken broth and apple cider, her forever cure for any ailments... Along with a Pepper Up potion and a Pain Potion.

She knew she ought to take a Dreamless Drought to make her sleep, but she just couldn't bring herself to take it. It felt selfish. If Esmerele hung onto life for her, she could lose sleep.

On the table beside her, her food silently appeared. Grabbing the soup, she breathed in the steam rising off of the pale liquid.

Soothing for the soul, it was.

She took a spoonful, savoring the heat as it ran through her body.

She would take a spoonful, sip cider, spoonful, sip.

Routine. Mindless.

She was finishing up when she heard a rustle from her office. It sounded like the Floo, but there was also a faint sound of wings.

Suddenly alert, she banished her food and morphed into her stealthy cat form.

Creeping around the corner, she tip toed down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she sniffed the air and felt immediate relief.

No one should smell like a hundred potions all melted into one.

But Percival did.

Minerva leapt forward, morphing back into her human form.

"Percival! Darling!" She grabbed his cheeks and kissed all over his face, a classic mother reunited with her child.

Percival laughed and gently removed his mother's hands and held them tightly. "Yeah, hi, I'm here. Like always."

Minerva scowled, "Not like always. I've been worried sick over you. God, what on earth are you doing here? It's three in the morning!"

"Well, the thing was..."

"Fortuna!" Minerva interrupted him. "You sweet darling!" She grabbed a ginger newt off the desk and fed the owl.

"Friends?"

"Yes, she likes ginger as much as I do. We visit a lot on the North lawn. I'm sorry, you were saying dear?"

Percival laughed, "You're fine. Yeah, Fortuna delivered your letter. But when I said Mathair's Rooms it..."

"Took you to the house at Godric's Hollow." She finished.

"Yes. And I poked around the library a bit and decided I'd Floo over anyway and surprise you in the morning. So now your turn. What's going on? Why the panic?"

Minerva sighed and mentioned for him to sit on the sofa with her.

"It's a long story, Perc."

"I'm all yours."

Minerva smiled and fixed her stare somewhere in front of her.

"Some years ago, I testified against a man during the war with Grindelwald. He had stolen Transfiguration texts that, in Grindelwald's hands, were extremely dangerous."

"How so?"

"Transfiguring air masses."

Percival nodded.

"So, he stole them and Grindelwald used the information to wipe out and entire village. But Donal was caught right after stealing the book, so he was not there during the attack."

"But..."

"But, he still held a grudge against me for turning him in. He was sentenced to life. And now he's escaped, and he's hell bent on killing me and everyone I love."

"So what has he done so far?"

"He's hurt Esmerele."

Percival's eyes went wide with fear and anger. "How bad? Will she live?"

Minerva held his hand. "She's been seriously injured, but they are sure she will make a full recovery eventually."

He exhaled with relief. "Can I see her?"

"She's in St. Mungo's in an induced coma."

Nodding, "And Tessa?"

At this Minerva closed her eyes and shifted uncomfortably. Because really, she had no proof except her dream that anything was truly amiss.

"Mom...?"

Minerva sighed. "I don't know. She hasn't written back..."

Percival pierced his mom with his ice blues. "You know more."

"I don't, really."

She couldn't tell him. Why make him worry? And besides, it was insane for her to be so convinced at her own Divination skills- she had never put any faith into it.

Still staring, Percival relented, "All right. And what's your plan now?"

Minerva wrapped her son in a hug. "Be thankful for my wonderful son. Be thankful my daughter is alive, and pray I find the other alive, too."

Xxxxx

Tessa moaned and forced her heavy eyes open.

Seeing nothing but empty blackness, she blinked, trying to get her tired eyes and mind to focus.

The first thing she felt was pain. Her knee was now painfully twisted at an angle so that it made it impossible to move without seriously injuring herself.

Her first thought was to cry out for help. But she thought silence might be better in case her attacker was near.

Attacker. Who was he?

Her head pounded she couldn't think.

Remember, she told herself.

She remembered… Her house… a letter… cursive writing?...

Mom! She remembered. A letter from Mom. About what?

Something about Hogwarts… Jacques? … They had started to… but then…

She closed her eyes as her memory hit her. The flash of light, the cruel laugh, Jacques' eyes dull and vacant, his life extinguished.

She started to cry despite her wanting to keep quiet. Her husband was dead. And there was nothing she could do.

Stop it. She told herself. Stop crying. You are no help to anyone if you cry.

A steely resolved formed in her. She had to get out. She had to find whoever killed her husband and kill him too.

Was that what her Mom was warning her about? How could she know?

Tessa tried to pull on her magic stores and focused her magic on her leg. She saw a faint glow around her knee and then felt a jolt and heard a sickening crack as her kneecap slid back into place.

She screamed at the pain as daggers shot up and down her leg.

She felt herself blacking out, her body willing itself to shut off from the pain, but Tessa strained her eyes open to stay focused.

After… what…. Minutes? Hours?... who knew… but after a time the pain started to subside into something that was mildly tolerable.

Tessa sat up and tried to scoot across the floor.

She tried to tell how far she'd gone… now maybe one meter… now perhaps two. Before she could hit three, she felt a wall.

It was made of the same stone as the floor, but the rocks were jutted out. Grabbing onto one, she tried to pull herself up.

Avoiding putting pressure on her hurt knee, she rose up on her good leg and braced herself against the wall.

Her head didn't hit a ceiling. She was five feet five inches, so the room was at least that high.

Stepping gingerly onto a stone, she did a sort of one-legged rock climb. About a foot up, she finally felt a ceiling. It felt… natural… like in a cave.

Ok, so unlikely there was a way out up there. Lowering herself down, she sat on the floor and thought about her choices.

She could sit here and wait. That was easy. Or she could crawl around and try to find a way out of this dark cave. Which could be just as useless.

She felt a low rumbling from somewhere in the distance. But just as soon as it came it stopped, and once again she was greeted with deafening silence.

Xxxxxxx

Esmerele awoke with a start. She thrashed her limbs and let out a strangled cry, throwing her covers off and shaking her bed. She knew she was still trapped, still with him…

A soothing voice called out to her and gently touched her hand. Not the man's voice, and definitely not his hands.

"Esmerele, darling, you're in the hospital. You're safe. He won't hurt you here."

She looked around to see a small blonde healer standing beside her.

"Who are you?" She asked, voice hoarse and almost unrecognizable to herself.

"I'm Sydney. I'm a healer here at St. Mungo's."

"What happened?"

"You were hurt pretty bad. The healers just stopped working on you about two hours ago. Your back is all healed, but it will be dreadfully sore for a while. Your burns are the same, healed, but the skin will be tender. You also suffered from a lot of blood loss, so you'll have to stay here for a week until your levels are back to normal."

"And I came in?"

"Yesterday. The Headmistress of Hogwarts brought you in."

Esmerele closed her eyes. Her mother had saved her. "The wonderful Headmistress." She whispered. "Where is she? Is she here?"

Sydney shook her head. "The Minister sent her back to the castle. She was just pacing around the lobby. But do you want me to call her in the morning?"

"Time?"

The healer glanced at the wall. "Four thirty in the morning."

Esmerele shook her head. "She'll be up. Call her now."

The healer looked hesitant. "I promise." Esmerele urged. "Call her."

The healer nodded. "Yes ma'am," and walked off down the corridor.

Esmerele closed her eyes and waited to hear the familiar cadence of her mother's footsteps.

Xxxxxx

Percival sat with his mother in silence. He understood the gravity of the situation. They didn't have much to go on, and Tessa was probably in danger.

Minerva shifted in her seat. "Do you think he found Tessa? She lives in relative anonymity. She'd be the hardest to link back to me."

Percival shook his head. "I have no idea. He didn't find me, but I was out of place."

Minerva gave him a look. "Out of place?"

"Yeah, I was at my house in Belclare. I wanted time away from work so I was staying there for a couple of days. Probably why Fortuna didn't find me for a while."

"Floo your house and peak in. See if anything's amiss."

Percival shook his head. "No, that can wait. And what if he has found it? He won't find anything there, nor in Belclare if he finds that."

"You aren't concerned for your home? Your things?"

He shrugged. "They're just things, Mom. I don't keep anything of importance at the house- at least, things that would be important to him. All I have at the house is potions journals and my random notes throughout my time as an apprentice and at the Order."

"Nothing personal?" Minerva exclaimed.

"Well, my pictures of you all are in my office. They're charmed to look different to other people. But since I'm always in my office and it's underground and through so many security checks…"

"It's the safest place." She finished.

"Exactly."

Minerva patted his leg. "You're smart, Perc. You really are."

He nodded. "I know."

She gave him a playful nudge and then she heard the Floo activate.

"Headmistress?" A timid voice called out.

"Yes, I'm here and awake, come on through."

A small blonde stepped out. "Ma'am. Sir. Esmerele is awake."

Both Minerva and Percival stood up quickly and started firing questions.

"How is she?" "Is she healed?" "What does she remember?" "Can she remember?" "Can she speak?" "Is there permanent damage?"

The blonde's eyes went wide and she looked terrified.

Minerva cleared her throat. "Sorry. We rushed in. You were saying?"

"Esmerele's awake and she was calling for you. You can come see her whenever you want."

Minerva started to walk to the fire when Percival stopped her. "Mom, you're in a bathrobe."

Minerva looked down. Suddenly a tad self conscious, she crossed her arms. "Tell her we'll be there in a moment."

The healer nodded and walked back through the fire.

"I'll get dressed. You wait here for me."

Percival started pacing her office. "I'll be here."

Minerva turned and dashed upstairs, flinging open her wardrobe, pulling out the first thing she found. She flicked her wrist and her outfit changed.

She stared to go back downstairs but realized she probably needed to do a quick toilette. Upon looking in the mirror, she was glad she had. She fixed her hair up into her signature bun, securing the pins firmly in place.

She reached into her cabinet and withdrew some mascara, one of the few Muggle things she really loved having. With a few strokes her eyes looked clearer, and with that she cut out the light and moved downstairs.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

She grabbed the powder and threw it in the flames, and they walked through into the bright lobby of the Ministry.

The healer rose up from the desk and motioned for them to follow.

They walked down a hall to a large corridor with rather large rooms. The rooms looked like a Muggle ICU unit- floor to ceiling glass walls and lots of different floating quills taking furious notes on any changes in patients.

The last room on the right was Esmerele's. Before they entered, Minerva asked, "Could we please be alone with her?"

The healer looked hesitant. "Please, it's very important that I speak with Ms. Brian alone."

The healer nodded and walked away. Minerva whispered to her son, "Silencing charms, and strong ones too."

Percival nodded, and his lips began moving as he quietly charmed the hallways. Nodding, they walked forward and went into Esmerele's room.

"Mommy!" Esmerele called weakly.

It broke Minerva's heart. She rushed forward and kissed her head and gently hugged her daughter's small frame. "My beautiful baby girl! I love you so much."

She leaned her forehead against her daughter's and gently kissed her nose. "I love you too, Mama."

Percival stepped around the other side of the bed. "Hey, Nugget."

When they were little, Esmerele had a strange liking of chicken nuggets. For a while it was all anyone could get her to eat. Tessa was always picking on her for it, but Percival turned it into a loving nickname that stuck. He had one too, for his love of potions.

"Hi there Goo."

Minerva stepped back as Percival placed a gentle kiss on his sister's cheek.

Summoning two chairs, Minerva and Percival took seats opposite of Esmerele's bed, both holding her hands.

"What happened, darling?" Minerva gently asked.

She shook her head. "It's really fuzzy. I remember coming home from work and finding everything ransacked. All my things were everywhere. I was going upstairs when a curse came at me from behind. I could see it reflected in a picture, so I darted and sent one back…

… the house isn't good for dueling, but we went at it. I managed to get a few hits on him, but nothing that could knock him out. I was on the defensive most of the time, and when I could get an attack on him it hardly ever hit. And he was devilishly good at Transfiguration. Anything I managed to change he could morph it back and turn it against me just as quickly…

… So we had been going for a while and I was growing tired. I haven't dueled in years, not like that. And I screamed at him 'what do you want from me?' and he said 'Minerva'. So I started fighting harder. We went at for a long time, really tearing up the place. It hit him once and I think broke a rib, but he kept going. And then he said a spell that I'd never heard before. And then the air turned really sweet and I blacked out.

Minerva thought about it. "He probably Transfigured the air."

Esmerele gave her a look. "That information is…"

"Classified, I know, but he stole those texts with that information. No doubt someone in Azkaban enlightened him on how to do it."

"I still don't know who he was."

"Donal Bregger. He worked with the Society when I did before he turned against us."

Esmerele shook her head. "That's really dark magic, transfiguring air. It hasn't been used in…"

"Forty years. Grindelwald."

"Yeah. He told me about you testifying against him, but he didn't say what he did. Just that you were wrong for turning him in without letting him explain himself. He kept asking me where home was? I don't know why he kept asking but I didn't say anything. Really cause I didn't know what he meant. Cause my home is obviously not what he was looking for. And we were raised in Hogwarts. And I can't really speak about the Manor even if I wanted to. So I really couldn't give him anything."

Minerva shut her eyes and groaned. So that was what he wanted.

"What?" Percival asked.

"The Manor."

"What of it?" he asked.

"There's something in that Manor that I don't think you two understand."

Both of them looked confused. "Huh? It's our family mansion."

"Yes, but it also holds our family's magical stores. Ever wonder why we were all so skilled? Nearly everyone in our family has NEWTS and Masters in nearly every subject. The first McGonagall clan figured out that if they tied their magic to a secure location, each time a new heir was born, the magic would increase for everyone in the family."

Esmerele nodded. "That's why there's all the enchantments and blood wards and so on and so forth."

Minerva nodded. "The plot of land it's on isn't even on Muggle maps. It literally doesn't exsist- there's no record of it anywhere."

Percival gave her a look. "But we have a secret keeper."

"We did have a secret keeper. Remember Aunt Catherine?"

"The aunt that wasn't an aunt but was more than an aunt?"

Minerva nodded. "She was our secret keeper. And when she died your father and I decided not to have another one until Percival inherited the Manor after our deaths, then he could choose one."

Esmerele nodded. "So why is he searching for something that no one can find?"

Minerva shook her head. "I don't know. You know the house in Godric's Hollow?"

Esmerele and Percival groaned. "That monstrosity you made us stay in that summer?" She said.

He nodded. "That was the worst house ever, Mom. Beautiful and enormous? Yes. But it was so creepy on the inside."

Minerva laughed. "Yes, that one. Well, I refer to that as the Manor in front of Kingsley, Rolanda and Filius. That way I have an excuse to leave if I need to and they think I'm going home."

Esmerele nodded, "Oh, so you apparate there and then to the Manor? Cause if you do something inside the creepy house it can't be traced, right?"

"Right, Albus made sure of that. That's why it was so cold all the time."

Percival shivered involuntarily at the memory. "Hated it."

"So there's a decoy house, so to speak."

"Yes. So if Donal finds that one, he'll likely think that he's found the real thing. The house has enchantments around it for seclusion and privacy, and I'm thinking that will convince Donal that THAT house is the one he needs."

Percival nodded. "Ok. So what do we do now?"

Sighing, "Now we need to find your sister. She needs to know what's going on too."

A knock at the door made all of them jump. Motioning quickly to Percival, he broke the silencing charms.

"Ma'am," the healer said tenderly. "The Prophet for you."

Minerva took the paper. "Thank you."

The healer left and Minerva tossed the paper to the table. "You aren't going to read it?" Percival asked.

"It's all slander and gossip, why should I?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, couldn't hurt."

Minerva sighed and picked up the paper. The front page didn't look interesting or pertinent. Flipping through, she went to the fourth page, Jennifer's column. It was the only thing that ever accurate.

The fourth paragraph had the heading:

JACQUESROUSSEAU,FOUNDDEADINAPARTMENT.

Two evenings ago, the French Magical Embassy found Jacques Rousseau dead in his apartment. There were signs of a struggle. The apartment was ransacked, but because of its Muggle location, authorities believe it was a robbery gone wrong. His wife, Tessa Rousseau, called authorities the following day, stating that she was in the South of France working during the time of the crime. The authorities do not believe she was involved. She has not returned to Paris as of this morning, but she assured authorities that she was making her way back as quickly as possible.

Minerva's blood went cold and she dropped the newspaper.

"Mom?" Her children asked. "What's wrong?"

Minerva shook her head in disbelief. "Tessa's husband is dead. And she is no where to be found."


	6. Chapter 6

Xxxxx

Minerva sat staring blankly at the paper. She couldn't form any words, couldn't think.

"But how could she have given a statement?" Percival asked.

Minerva shook her head.

"I think she was forced," Esmerele chimed in. "Besides, she doesn't like the south of France."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"We were talking about it, oh, some years ago. She said she'd rather spend her vacation in the Alps."

"Mom?" Percival asked gently.

Minerva stood up and starting pacing the room. She couldn't quite process the information. Tessa was supposed to be the one he wouldn't find. Essentially growing up and living in France, she had not communicated enough with Minerva enough to be an obvious target.

How on earth could Donal have tracked her down so quickly and with such ease? And to avoid authorities in France too?

"There's a mole." She said; her Scottish brogue belied her sadness and anger.

Percival stood up in protest, "You can't be serious. Mom, who on earth would betray you? Nearly everyone in the wizarding world is in debt to you!"

Minerva shook her head. "I don't know. But he wouldn't find Tessa on his own. He just couldn't."

Esmerele thought about it. "You know Perc, she's right. Tessa would be the hardest to link back to our family. But Mom, you can't really think that someone on the inside is helping him!"

Minerva's pacing increased in tempo. "I don't know!" She cried. "I don't know what to think about any of this!"

The healer appeared at the door. "Headmistress, Sir. I'm sorry but your time is up. Ms. Brian needs to rest."

Esmerele started to protest but Minerva raised her hand. "Fine, Ms. Brian, if you think of anything, do not hesitate to call me."

With that, she nodded at Percival and they exited the room.

Once in the hall, Percival whispered, "What now?"

"Now, we dig. Let's check all of Tessa's records and see where a slip could have been made. It'll be tedious, but it's all we got."

Xxxxx

-The night before Jacques' death-

Donal stood pacing around angrily. He couldn't find her son, and he suspected that he was with his mother.

Damn. If she had her son to fight with her, she'd be that much harder to beat.

And her youngest daughter- her body wasn't at the house in Scotland anymore. He hadn't heard any news about her death. Had she survived her injuries? And if she had, could she too fight with Minerva?

Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.

This was not what he had planned.

He looked at his parchment again. Nothing indicated that Percival Brian lived anywhere else except for the flat beside the Order.

He flipped through his files. Nothing.

Percival hadn't gone back to the Order in several days, but no one seemed alarmed by it- nothing in the Prophet.

So if they weren't alarmed at his absence, he must have let them know he wouldn't be there.

But where was he? Hogwarts? The secret Manor?

Either way, he was out of his reach now.

And the search of his flat proved to be totally useless. All he got were a lot of cryptic scribbles on formulas.

Esmerele's house hadn't revealed anything either.

He felt furious at the lack of progress he'd made in finding any information about McGonagall Manor.

Then, like a flash of lightning, a memory came floating back into his consciousness.

Someone else hated Minerva just as much as he did.

And she would be the one who could help him.

He ran to the corner of the room and withdrew a piece of parchment and scrounged around for a stay pencil.

Finding one, he pressed the paper against the wall and began writing.

Rolanda,

Long time no see.

No doubt you would have heard of my escape.

And I'm sure you can guess my intentions.

You and I are one, and I think we can help each other.

Meet me tomorrow at sunrise near the southern banks of the Thames.

Let's finish what we started, shall we?

Donal

P.S. Do your eyes still shine a bright golden after you are kissed?

Xxxxxxx

Minerva and Percival's first stop was the Ministry of Magic's Department of Records.

Ever since the war with Voldemort, they had begun keeping extensive records on the witches and wizards who lived within the Ministry's jurisdiction.

And workers in International Societies, like Esmerele, and those who had moved abroad, like Tessa, were monitored even closer.

No doubt there would have been records on who Tessa had spoken to throughout her adult life.

Minerva entered and immediately headed for the first elevator and pulled the lever three times, two long, one short, and in a flash they were sent hurling towards the Record's vault.

With a screech, the elevator came to a grinding stop at a dimly lit passageway.

"Never fails to make me motion sick." Percival whispered.

Minerva gave a small laugh. "Albus too."

They rounded the hall to the right. Sitting at the desk was a small mad with graying hear and a ruddy complexion.

"Minnie my lass, it 'as been ah long time! Whad on ea'th are ya doin' 'ere?"

She smiled gently and rose to hug the small man. "Connor my dear, it has been a long time. I have missed you. What on earth are you still doing down here? Shouldn't you be hunting somewhere in the lovely Irish hills?

Connor shook his head. "Ah like i' 'ere, Minnie. Goo' pay, goo' 'ours. I go' nah reason tah complain. Ma'gret is happy a' peaches havin' tha 'ouse tah herself these wee 'ours in tha mornin'. Ga'dning o' somethin' in tha ya'd. An' this must be ya son, Percival. Looks jus' like 'is father 'e does. "

Percival stepped forward and shook his head. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"An' wha' can ah do far you, my Minnie?"

"I need records on Mrs. Theressa Brian Rousseaux. She goes my Tessa mostly."

Connor nodded and disappeared behind a door. They heard ruffling and movement, as if papers were being flown across the room in an organized chaos. In fact, that's probably exactly what they were doing.

Percival leaned in and whispered, "How do you know him?"

"He owned a tavern for the longest time before he gave it to his son, and he brews some damn good scotch whiskey."

Percival chuckled and shook his head. "Lord have mercy, Mama."

Connor reappeared with a small parcel of notes. "Ah thin' this is wha' ya need."

"Thank you Connor," she grabbed the parcel. "And if we need anything else we'll be sure to come straight to you."

"Still like tha MacGregor whiskey?" He asked with a devilish grin.

Minerva smiled. "You know I do."

He reached down into the bottom drawer of his desk and withdrew a small, square, glass bottle filled with amber liquid. "I's goo' ta see ya, Minnie." He said, and handed her the bottle.

Minerva took the bottle and wrapped him in a quick hug. "It is good to see you, Connor."

With one last smile, she turned around and headed back to the Floo to begin her work at Hogwarts.

Xxxxxx

-The night of Jacques' death-

Rolanda sat in her office working on repairing brooms. The first years, though eager, had given her brooms a rather nasty beating.

She scrubbed the wood and clipped the twigs in an effort to make them look somewhat presentable.

She put the broom on the ground and picked up her calendar. No quidditch matches this week, but next week would be a whirlwind of games.

Last week of rest.

She pulled out her cigarettes and stepped onto the small porch attached to her rooms.

The stars were so relaxing. She could hear the gentle lapping of the water hitting the shore.

She blew the smoke out into the crisp air, the only light was from the moon, stars, and the red tip of her cigarette.

Off in the distance, she noticed a small bird flying towards the castle. Probably a bird heading to the owlry.

She turned around and went back inside to grab a glass of bourbon. Reaching into her cabinet, she withdrew a new bottle and poured herself a generous amount.

She walked back out onto the porch and enjoyed her alcohol and tobacco. Nothing in the world like drinking and smoking on a perfect night.

The owl she had noticed earlier was headed straight towards her porch, and she groaned inwardly at the thought of more mail- especially this late at night. Nothing good could come from that.

The bird landed gently and dropped the letter. It flew off as soon as it landed- probably ready to hunt in the night.

She picked up the letter, if you could call it that. It was just a piece of paper, and ratty paper at that.

She read the letter and her heart kicked into high gear, the alcohol and nicotine already rattling her system, making her head feel light.

Rolanda,

Long time no see.

(No shit. It had been forty years.)

No doubt you would have heard of my escape.

(Yes, she had. From none other than Minerva herself. )

And I'm sure you can guess my intentions.

(Like it wasn't obvious. Still hell bent on killing her.)

You and I are one, and I think we can help each other.

(Yes, I think we can help each other, even if forty years have passed.)

Meet me tomorrow at sunrise near the southern banks of the Thames.

(A rendezvous with Donal. Alluring.)

Let's finish what we started, shall we?

(Yes. Let's.)

Donal

P.S. Do your eyes still shine a bright golden after you are kissed?

(Do your blue eyes still turn a dark grey when you are going in for the kill?)

Xxxxxxx

After hours of digging Minerva had not gotten anywhere. And from the look on Percival's face, he hadn't found anything either.

Again she checked and rechecked her correspondence lists for the last couple of weeks.

It wasn't exciting.

Gabrielle

Jacques

Gabrielle

Helene (a friend from school, Minerva had discovered.)

Gabrielle

Gabrielle

Jacques

Esmerele

Percival

Gabrielle

Sophia (another friend from school.)

Rolanda

Gabrielle

Gabrielle

Jacques

Percival

Gabrielle

Nothing amiss. And all of the people she didn't know and had checked out to be just friends, all housewives in France.

She looked at Percival. "What about you?"

"Her Floo list is about the same as her correspondence, except she hasn't visited with Rolanda in a couple of years. But Gabrielle seems to be the one who is always coming and going."

Minerva shook her head. "What about anyone at Beauxbatons? Anyone there with connections to Donal?"

Percival shot her a look. She raised her hands, "Alright, alright. Forget it."

"Donal really doesn't have any connections in France, though. Not from what I've been able to read about him."

Minerva agreed. "No, he doesn't."

"And you don't think Gabrielle could be the leak?"

"Have you met her?" Minerva asked with a smart little grin.

Percival shook his head.

"Let's just say her elevator doesn't go to the top floor."

Percival chucked. "Dad used to say that."

"He did." She smiled at the memory.

"What about Jacques? Anything interesting with him?"

"Nothing. His work wasn't significant. He didn't do much that would raise flags. His visitor log for his office is short- just people who work there and an occasional pop in from Tessa. And all the workers checked out- they've all lived in France their whole life and none of them have worked with ITS."

She shook her head. "Damn. So we're just as lost as before."

He nodded. "But if you had so little to go on before, how on earth did you know where to find Esmerele?"

"I can't tell you, really I can't."

"Mom!"

Minerva looked at her hands. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. And I will not have my son thinking I'm senile."

"Oh, shut up, you're not senile. And tell me. If I don't believe you, then I won't. But there is no harm in telling me. I wont' judge you."

Minerva sighed. "Just like your father you are." He smiled. "Alright then, you asked for it."

He waited.

"I had a dream about it."

Percival's face didn't change. "What's so unbelievable about that?"

"Because it's Divination! And really shotty Divination at that!"

He shook his head. "It really isn't. Now if you had said a crystal ball- that would have been another story. But it's been proven that moments of great emotional depth can be conveyed through blood relatives."

Minerva gave him a look. "I don't believe that."

Percival gave a nonchalant shrug. "Choose to believe what you want, but your dreams are very valid pieces of evidence. Have you had any others?"

"Just one. About Tessa. But it didn't give me anything, really. Just that there was a cave with a door and the ceiling fell in."

"So you don't know if she was behind that door."

Minerva shook her head. "No, but she was there at some point- I could smell her."

"Alright, well that's something."

"Not much."

He smiled. "Hey, Mama, how does a quick nap sound?"

Xxxxxx

-Morning of Jacques' death-

Donal stood anxiously on the bank of the Thames.

He didn't know how she would respond to his letter.

Did she still hate Minerva all these years? Or had her time at Hogwarts brought the two women together?

Doubtful. He remembered the first time he'd met Rolanda.

The tavern was getting crowded. Everyone was finished with the family dinner and now they were out to have a good time.

Well, he definitely didn't have a family dinner. He'd just screwed Minerva.

The sex was great, but she closed herself off against any personal questions.

That was her rule. Just sex.

And she was just as straightforward at work. Nothing personal. No smiles in the corridors. It was work, work, work.

A witch plopped down beside him. She had short black hair and the most amazing golden eyes. She had a couple of freckles on her cheeks- she obviously spent most of her time outdoors.

"Bourbon." She requested.

Straight liquor. Maybe he'd have a round two with her. She seemed like his kind of broad.

"That's a mighty rough drink for such a lovely woman."

She turned to him and answered in a raspy voice, "Beauty is for women who have nothing else to boast about."

Donal laughed. "Suppose you're right. So what brings you here alone at this time of night?"

"Who says I'm alone?" She countered, giving him a hard look that was equally attractive and disarming.

"Your bourbon. If you were here with someone, you definitely wouldn't be hitting the straight drinks till late."

She raised her eyebrow and gave a crooked grin, revealing perfect teeth. "Touche, sir."

"And what would bring a lady like you to a grungy tavern like this?"

Rolanda's eyes turned dark. "Avoiding a certain bitch."

"What happened?"

"What hasn't she done? God, she's killed my whole fucking career."

Donal looked at her. "You aren't exaggerating?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. She's ruined my chances at playing Pro Quidditch."

"What happened?"

"Her last year at Hogwarts she was Head Girl. One of her duties is making sure that records are accurate for all the last years so that when they prepare to work, they have the proper paperwork to prove their capability."

"Ok."

"And she wasn't supposed to look at them, but it seems she did."

"And she couldn't get in trouble for this?"

"She would have, except the consequences I've suffered from her discovery are far greater than any punishment she'd have for a minor infraction."

"What did she find?"

"My old medical records."

Donal was confused. "What do those matter?"

"You can't play professionally if you have any sort of pre-existing condition that could hurt your game."

"And you have one of those conditions."

Rolanda gave an empty laugh. "I have cancer."

Donal wanted to say something, but no words formed.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "It won't kill me for a long time."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's manageable. Bone cancer. I go to the healers once a year and they go through and remove one bone at a time and let them re-grow one at a time."

"So you're cured?"

She shook her head. "The new bones start producing cancer cells after about six months."

Donal looked at his beer. "Does it hurt?"

"Like hell. But it doesn't interfere with my game. My bones aren't brittle and my mind is clear. I can ride on a broomstick and take hits and falls like anyone else. I'm not some goddamn glass person who's gonna drop dead any second."

"Who told?"

Rolanda shook her head. "You wouldn't know her."

"Try me. Tell you what, if I know her, I'll buy your next drink."

"How about this- if you know her, you'll take me to your house and help me get back at her for ruining my life."

Donal smiled. "Anything else we might be doing at the house?"

Rolanda gave a laughed. "I'm sorry, I thought you already knew you were going to fuck my brains out. My bad."

Donal was turned on.

"Who was it?"

"Minerva McGonagall."

Donal nearly chocked on his beer, and Rolanda had to smack his back to get him to breathe. "I'll take that as a yes." She said.

Donal coughed. "Yeah…. Uh, I know her…." Cough. "I work with her."

Rolanda threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely.

"Let's bring her down, once and for all."

His memory was broken by the sound of footsteps behind him. He didn't even have to turn to know it was her.

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a cigarette, holding it out in the air for her to grab.

She stood behind him and took his offering, lighting it and blowing out smoke up into the air.

"You haven't changed." She whispered.

"And apparently neither have you."

"What is your plan this time?"

Donal turned around. She looked the same, except her black hair had given way to silver. But it looked good on her.

"You look good."

"Shut the hell up and tell me your goddamn plan."

He smirked. Yep, same old Rolanda. "I need to find her daughter."

"Which one?"

"Tessa."

"Why?'

"Not relevant now. I just need to know where she is."

Rolanda reached in her robe pocket and produced a piece of parchment. Grabbing a small Muggle pen she scribbled down an address.

"This is in Paris. When you get to the house, go to the back door and go through there. That way they can't see you until you're already there. If they aren't there, go up the stairs to the first bedroom. That's the master suite. Her husband is Jacques, a very average wizard who is completely useless to your cause."

Donal nodded, and with that, he was gone.

Xxxxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Rolanda paced around her rooms anxiously. Why had she gone back to Donal after all these years?

Not that she didn't still get angry as hell when she thought of what Minerva did, but she had been a good friend to her these forty years.

Her initial plan to set her up was befriending her. That was Donal's idea. He convinced her that what Minerva needed was a best friend to confide in. It's a woman thing, he had smirked.

Amazingly, Minerva had been more than willing to start a friendship with Rolanda. And in a short amount of time she was telling little secrets that, once pieced together, made it easy to find a way to take her down.

When Donal had received his task from Grindelwald, all Rolanda did was tell Minerva that she held in her library the original Quidditch texts, and like magic, Minerva told her that she too had originals- the very originals Grindelwald needed.

Donal figured that even if he did succeed in stealing the books, it'd be highly likely he'd be caught. He and Rolanda had made a solemn vow that no matter what happened, they would never give the other up.

Because some day, he might be free, and they could finally get their revenge once and for all.

But after ten years, then fifteen, then twenty, she'd given up hope that she'd be reunited with Donal.

And she held on to Minerva's friendship. She'd seen her wedding, knew her children.

She'd had plenty of opportunities to hurt Minerva. But for some reason she just couldn't. She'd been too good to her.

Eleven years ago, Rolanda discovered that the cost of her cancer treatment had gone up to a crippling price- 20,000 galleons compared to the original 9,000. The potions they used to re-grow the bones had gone up in prices due to a dittany shortage across the UK, and all of their dittany had to be imported.

If Rolanda didn't have her treatment, she'd be dead within a year, two at the most.

Minerva had overheard her talking to her brother about her inability to pay, and the very next day she handed Rolanda a slip for 20,000 galleons- taken directly out of her private Gringott's account.

So after all this good, why on earth had she given up Minerva's daughter like that? She didn't even think twice. And more than likely, he was going to kill both of them.

She starting shaking, sobbing uncontrollably, wishing she could undo everything.

But she couldn't. Because some part of her, some deep, evil, dark, unreachable part of her still hated Minerva for what she had done.

And, despite her strength, she didn't have the will to fight it.

Xxxxxx

Minerva lay in bed. Despite her wanting to sleep, she couldn't. Especially with Percival pacing outside her room.

"This isn't working." She called out.

The door creaked open. "If you keep saying that, it won't."

Minerva sat up. "But I'm not sleepy."

Percival groaned and pulled a small tablet out of his pocket. "I didn't wanna give you this, but here. Take this."

Minerva eyed them suspiciously. "What is it?"

"Muggle medicine. It's a sleep aid. You'll be out in a little bit."

Still suspicious, "I don't want to stay asleep forever."

He rolled his eyes. "Just a couple of hours. Besides, it's barely seven in the morning. You won't be hurting anyone by sleeping."

"When I wake up?"

"I'll give you a Pepper Up potion and we'll be good to go."

Reluctantly, she took the medicine and sipped her water. "I'm only doing this because you're supposedly the best potions master in the world."

Percival shrugged. "I know."

Xxxxxx

After scooting around the floor for what seemed like ages, Tessa hadn't found anything useful. There was one door on the far end of the room, but it had more locks than a Gringott's vault- no way she was going to break though that.

There was no other crevice, no other crack. Her eyes felt more adjusted to the dark, but perhaps that was a trick of her mind.

At least there weren't rats or bugs in here. The one plus of her imprisonment.

Her stomach burned with hunger. How long had it been since she had eaten?

Her bladder burned too, but she was not to the point where she would use the bathroom here. Cause more than likely she'd be trapped in here with the smell.

And, hostage or not, she was a debutante. And debutantes were classier than that.

She leaned her head against the cool floor and shut her eyes, trying to think of pleasant things that now seemed permanently in her past.

She drifted off into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

The Alps… skiing down the mountainside with her darling husband… peppermint mocha by the fire… metal clanging.

Metal?

Clanking?

Rattling?

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound. Suddenly alert, she scooted to the far side of the wall, listening carefully to whatever what making the noise.

It sounded as if the locks were turning, like heavy concrete gears grinding in an enormous clock.

Silence.

Then the door creaked open, and the faintest light drifted in.

A man appeared at the door. Dark hair. Tall.

She didn't recognize him.

"Tessa…." He called into the darkness.

Her stomach recoiled. She knew exactly who that was. She'd know that voice anywhere now.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." He sang in a sick, sing-song voice.

She didn't know what to do. Stay silent and face the consequences? Or speak up and make him knock her out just as quickly?

She had to try.

"Here." She called weakly, her voice still rough and raspy.

A bright light shined in her face as his wand pointed directly at her head.

"Ah, the red-headed French queen. The reject of the McGonagall clan."

Tessa tensed up. How did he know she was a McGonagall? No one knew that!

She tried her best to look defiant, nose in the air, lips curled in distain, the look she'd given her mother so many times. "I don't know what you're talking about. Don't say foolish accusations without a base."

A bright red light hit her, and her back twisted in pain. Then it was released, and he stood there, laughing at her.

"Don't play coy with me, Theressa Brian Rousseaux. Or should I say Theressa Katherine McGonagall? That is the name on your real birth certificate, is it not?"

She glared at him, saying nothing.

"Now, I must wonder, why didn't you take your darling daddy's name? What, he ashamed of his children? No one else to carry on the Dumbledore name?"

Tessa laughed. What a weird response, she thought. But nonetheless, she couldn't stop laughing.

Now it was Donal's turn to look confused.

"SHUT UP!" He bellowed.

She stopped, but she couldn't stop the grin from showing.

"What is so goddamn funny?" He demanded.

"Theressa Dumbledore. That sounds so… stupid… Who would want that name?"

She giggled again. Her parents had discussed this with them, and all the children were more than a little grateful that they didn't have to carry around the Dumbledore name. McGonagall was much easier.

"Besides," she added, "Wasn't he the Headmaster of Hogwarts? Je suis une fille Beauxabon."

At this, Donal looked really confused. Why on earth would her daughter go to Beauxbaton's? It was inferior in nearly every way to Hogwarts. No way she would let her daughter go to a school that mainly produced girls ripe for marrying.

For the first time, he doubted himself. Beauxbaton's didn't match up- at all. He remembered how much Minerva had criticized one of the girls at the Society who had been educated there.

So why would she send her daughter there?

He held the bright light up to her face, looking for a trace of Minerva.

Red hair in perfect curls. Bright, crystal clear blue eyes. Small nose. Perfect lips. Thin but curvy figure. Average height.

Minerva had black hair. Emerald eyes. Distinct high nose. Thin lips. Slim and straight figure. Tall for a woman.

They really didn't look anything alike. But Esmerele- she was a dead match to her mother.

Tessa could see his hesitation, too. So she pushed on. "Je voudrais pouvoir vous aider, mais je ne peux pas."

Her French was perfect, even with that annoying nasal sound. And Minerva was Scottish, with a very distinct accent and fluent in Gaelic. And Albus was English through and through.

Donal turned away, angry at himself. Had Rolanda lied to him? Where did her allegiance really stand?

He turned back. "What's your master?" He asked. All the McGonagall clan were masters in something.

Tessa laughed again. "n'out pas un. I don't have one." She replied.

Donal yanked her up and jammed his wand into her hand. "Show me."

"Show what?"

"A spell! Anything!"

"Which spell?" She asked, with a snarky "duh" undertone beneath it.

"Conjure a Patronus." He asked.

Tessa looked at him blankly. "A what?" Now this really wasn't acting. She didn't know what on earth a Patronus was. Why should she? She didn't take anything besides charms in Beauxbaton's. And acrobatics.

And then after school she rarely used magic at all. Hell, it'd be a miracle if she could still unlock a door after all these years.

So when he asked her about a Patronus, she really didn't know how too, even if she had some sort of idea as to what he was talking about.

"A Patronus." He said again, this time with anger in his voice.

"I heard you, but I don't know what it is or the words you use."

Donal fought the urge to hit her. Was she really that stupid? No McGonagall would be that thick. Or, perhaps, was this Jacques' mistress? And Tessa was still at large?

"Expecto Patronum." He said, now really angry and nearly convinced that he had the wrong girl.

Tessa sighed dramatically and raised the wand. Dully she said, "Expecto Patronum."

A weak little white wisp came out of the end, and that was it.

"Again." Donal said. "Like you mean it."

Again, Tessa raised her wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A stronger wisp came out, but that was it.

Angry, Donal grabbed his wand and jerked her forward. "You really are stupid."

She said nothing as he dragged her out of the cave. Slamming the door behind him, he continued to pull harshly as she stumbled up the stairs behind him.

She must have been really underground, because the stairs just didn't stop. Winding up, up and up, she walked for what seemed forever. But finally there was the faintest light, and they exited the cave into the cool night.

Donal whipped around and sent a curse rippling through the cave. The ground began to shake, and Tessa had no doubt that the cave had collapsed.

"Go." Donal said.

Tessa just stood there, too stunned to move.

"I SAID GO!" He bellowed, eyes dark with anger.

Tessa's eyes went wide, and she conjured up a picture of Hogwart's front gate in her mind, and with that, she was gone.

Xxxxx

A perfect night sky. Twinkling stars above.

A lit cigarette glowing in the dark.

A young witch with short black hair, blowing out the thick smoke into the sky.

A man coming to stand beside her, tall and strong.

They were whispering, whispering secrets that should never be revealed.

Minerva strained to hear what they were saying.

The woman passed a piece of parchment to the man and gently kissed his cheek.

"I will always love you," she whispered.

One last kiss and they parted, the woman's golden eyes shining in the night, the man's sapphire eyes lingering for just a moment more.

And then they vanished.

Xxxxx

Minerva awoke with a start and felt utter disbelief. Not only was the dream incredibly unbelievable, she refused to believe that Rolanda, who had been with her through three wars, had ever loved Donal. And even if she had, no way she would betray Minerva.

And Rolanda has been in the castle all this time. Minerva would have known if she had gone to Azkaban and seen him.

She shook the thoughts from her head. Divination. What a bloody waste of time.

She walked out of her room and down to the office.

"Anything?" Percival asked, hearing his mother's footsteps.

"Nothing, I'm sorry darling."

Percival shrugged indifferently. "We knew it was a long shot. No harm, no foul." He smiled up at his mother reassuringly.

"What time is it?" She asked.

Percival glanced at the clock. "Ten thirty."

She rolled her neck. "Let me get dressed. I've got to go make my rounds about the school."

"Alright. Mind if I go down to the dungeon?"

"Always the potion's man." She grinned.

"Always."

He got up and gently kissed his mother's cheek.

She turned and went to her bathroom, and she heard the Gargoyle turn.

She did her usual quick toilette and got dressed. She wasn't feeling up to putting on her excess robes. She'd just have to put a little warming charm on what she had on.

A forest green long sleeve cotton dress, a black inner robe, and a matching forest green outer robe. Nothing extravagant, all basic cotton.

She flicked her wrist and sent her hair into a tight bun. Grabbing her boots, she slid her feet inside.

Walking out of her office, she reached onto her desk and grabbed her wand, a quill, and some parchment and tucked them in her robes.

The Gargoyle sprung to life again and allowed the Headmistress to exit.

Xxxxx

Tessa landed ungracefully on the lawn in front of Hog's Head.

Ok, so her apparating sucked. She'd only missed her target by a couple of miles. So what?

She checked her body for any signs of splinching. Finding none, she walked into the small tavern.

It was empty, save for a bartender diligently cleaning the tumblers.

"Excuse me..." She asked gently.

The man gave her a funny look. "You look awful." He said.

Tessa shot him a look, even though she knew he was probably right. "You don't look like a picture of beauty either, so shut up."

The bartender leaned down and threw her a key. "Room 129. Up one flight of stairs and third door to the left. Take a shower, and I'll fix you something to eat."

Tessa stared at the small key, deciding whether or not this was a trap.

Picking up on her hesitation, the man pointed towards the wall. "Look in the mirror, lady."

She turned and nearly screamed out loud. She looked REALLY bad. Hair matted, mascara running, lip bruised, forehead cut, clothes torn and soiled.

"Told ya so." He said.

Giving him her best smirk, she rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs.

Nice man, really.

She walked into the room and headed straight for the bathroom. Stripping her clothes, she moved into the shower, letting the hot water run over her body.

For the first time, she really let herself cry. She had lost her husband. Sweet, silly, loving Jacques. He was so good to her. And she loved him so much.

Her sobs came violently, and her body was shaking.

She cried too because she had survived because she had failed as a student and a witch. She survived because she was the disappointment of the McGonagall clan.

And Jacques, who had never done anything mean to anyone, died.

She beat her hands against the wall, screaming and crying for all she was worth.

It was so unfair, so brutally unfair, and she had never felt this hurt since her father died.

And that time it was different- he'd died in a war for a noble cause.

But her husband having to die because some deranged psychopath had a vendetta against the McGonagalls?

Unfair.

She was so angry and hurt.

Pulling herself together somewhat, she cut off the water and stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack and wrapping her hair and drying her body.

She went back into the room and saw a simple yet pretty blue dress and a simple black robe.

She smiled, grateful for the small token of kindness.

She got dressed and made her way back downstairs.

"Better?" the man asked.

"Much, merci." She replied.

"And you are?" he asked.

"No one important."

He gave her a smile. "On the run are ya?"

"Actually, yes I am. I'm not staying here. I've got to go find someone."

The bartender nodded. "A woman on a mission."

"Something like that. Which way is Hogwarts?"

"Go into Honeydukes' and go down to the cellar. There's a stone that is slightly lighter than the others. That passageway will take you to the statue in front of the charms classroom. But when you come out, make sure no one is around. I don't need kids knowing about it and then coming at night to steal candy."

Tessa nodded. "Thank you."

He gave a small smile and turned away, and Tessa left. Exiting, she glanced to left and saw the bright sign for the candy store.

She entered and a myriad of sweet smells hit her nose. A small witch came up to her and asked, "May I help you?"

Tessa asked quietly, "Can I go to the cellar? I need to go to Hogwarts. The bartender said it was okay."

The witch nodded. "If Bill says you're okay to use it, then it's fine with me. Go down this aisle," she indicated the furthest isle on the right, "and go through that door."

"Thank you."

Tessa smiled and hurried down the isle. Throwing open the door, she made her way down the stairs.

The odd tile wasn't hard to spot, and she carefully lifted it up and lowered herself into it.

When she hit the bottom, she reached up and slid the tile securely back in place.

The passageway was much like the prison she was just in. She shuddered at the thought and picked up her pace.

The tunnel dipped down really far, then took a hard right, then started making its way back up.

Around another curve, down a dip, slight right, slight left, down again, and up.

She began to wonder if this passageway would ever end.

Finally, there was a staircase that led to a small door, barely four feet high and about three feet across.

She pressed her ear to the crack. Hearing nothing, she slid the door about an inch and listened again.

Still nothing. She opened the door and found herself staring at a wall. Turning, she saw she was hidden by a rather odd statue.

Crawling, she exited the whole and slid the door back in place.

Stepping gingerly around the statue, she looked down the hallway. Seeing nothing, she exited.

Hogwarts hadn't changed at all since her childhood. Well, what she faintly remembered.

She walked down the hall, not really knowing where she was going, but hoping she'd make it somehow.

The hallway turned into a dead end. Sighing, she turned around and started the other way. The hallway gave way to the staircases, some of which were moving around the castle, other were momentarily stationary.

As if on cue, a staircase drifted down and landed in front of her. Nervously she stepped on, holding onto the thick railing for dear life.

She closed her eyes and tried to think of her mother. Maybe the stairs would know what she was talking about.

When it stopped, she was at the entrance to another hallway. Walking quickly to avoid the staircase's next move, she moved into the hallway and looked around.

Seeing nothing again, she moved to the left. She heard a voice faintly from behind a door.

Not knowing whether to knock or wait, she decided she'd peep in the door.

She leaned her head in and nearly fell forward, as the door opened abruptly and without warning.

"Tessa!" Her mother cried, wrapping her daughter into a tight hug.

Tessa tensed at first and then relaxed into the hug, wrapping her arms around her mom and pressing herself to her mother's thin frame.

"You're alive, my darling, you're alive!" She cried. As if suddenly self-conscious, she remembered there was a classroom behind her.

"Not here, let's go to my office." She grabbed her hand and led her down the hallway to a large portrait. The man in the picture nodded and the frame swung out, allowing them access to the passageway.

Once inside, Minerva turned to face her daughter. "What happened? I'm so sorry my darling! I saw it in the prophet about Jacques. I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could have been there to something to stop it."

Tessa leaned in and hugged her mother again. She hadn't done that in so many years. She'd forgotten what it was like to just be held in a protective mother's embrace.

Tears sprang to her eyes. "I'm sorry too, Mama." She whispered.

Minerva hugged her tighter and kissed her head. "Don't be, honey, you haven't done anything wrong."

"Yes I have!" she cried, turning away and crossing her arms. "I know I have! I ran off from home, I didn't try in school… I stayed in France instead of being with you when Daddy died! And, god, I was so mean to you, and you didn't do anything! You or Daddy! You just stood there and let me do what I wanted. Why Mama? Why didn't you try to make me better?"

Minerva looked sadly at her daughter. "Is that what you wanted?"

Tessa looked down. "I don't know."

Minerva sighed and sat down on the steps. "We didn't fight you because we knew that our lives were going to be very difficult from the start. We knew that living with such a secret would hurt anyone. It certainly took its toll on your father and I. And when you'd get into those moods… gosh you had such violent moods… I was so scared that I would say something that would make you even more unhappy. And it broke my heart in two every time you weren't happy."

Tessa cried and said, "I'm sorry we didn't talk Mama."

"And I am sorry too."

Tessa stood back and wiped her tears. "Start over?" She stuck her hand out in a very business-like manner.

Minerva smiled and shook her hand. "Agreed."

They hugged each other again.

"So," Tessa said pulling away, "What the hell is going on?"

Minerva groaned. "Long story. But come up to my office. Percival will fill you in."

"He's here too? What about Esmerele? Is she okay? Is she still missing?"

Minerva shook her head. "At St. Mungo's recovering. It seemed Donal tried to beat her up to get information. You look like you were relatively unharmed."

She nodded, "He didn't hit me. But he did use the Cruciatus curse."

Minerva winced. "Your sister too."

"Can I see her later?"

"Definitely. But before that, I want to hear your story and fill you in on exactly what has happened this past week. How on earth did you escape?"

Tessa let out a small laugh. "Cause I'm really, really stupid, Mama."

Minerva scoffed, but she continued. "No really Mama, I am. He asked me to produce a Patronus."

"And did you?"

"Mama, I don't even know what a Patronus is!"

Minerva laughed. "Oh my dear."

Tessa laughed and gently held her mother's hand for the first time in thirty years.


	8. Chapter 8

Xxxxxx

Donal was furious. He had worked so hard and had tracked the children down so quickly. And now? All three of them were out of his reach.

To top that off, Rolanda, the woman who was supposed to be true to him until the end of time, had lied to him.

And that just wasn't acceptable either.

He wondered about Minerva's other daughter. If nothing had been in the news, then she couldn't have died. But with the injuries he knew he had inflicted, she had to be at a hospital.

Which one?

There was a small hospital, St. Helena of the Transfiguration Healing Order in Scotland.

But then there was St. Mungo's. Without a doubt, that was the best hospital in the wizarding world: top-notch facility and masters of healing.

And it was protected like hell. But he knew that there were side entrances healers used. That would probably be the easiest point of entrance.

It really wouldn't take that much digging to find out at which one she was being treated.

Thinking fast, he grabbed a quill and parchment and scribbled a letter.

Ro,

So, you thought you could just lie to me and get away with it?

Please, don't try to cross me again. For your sake.

Make it up to me by telling me where Esmerele is. I know you know.

Don't screw this up, or it'll be the last thing you ever do.

I guarantee that.

Donal

He tied the letter to his owl and sent him off.

Sitting back down at his desk, he continued studying the maps of both England and Scotland, looking for any discontinuities between the Muggle maps and the Wizarding ones.

Sadly, everything looked the same.

Throwing the broader maps on the ground, he begin sifting through the up close maps, studying the topography, taking note of latitude and longitude, and looking for magical signatures.

There were hot spots for magic, like when a city stands out at night because of the lights.

On the map were the most obvious high signatures- schools, ministries, certain suburbs…

He looked closely at the Scotland highlands.

There was a slight increase in magic near the Orkley Islands, but it wasn't strong enough to indicate that the Manor was there. Most likely, he figured, a concentration of Centaurs lived there.

Next he moved to England, but the entire country had high levels of magic, and his efforts were proving futile.

With a yell, he threw the papers on to the floor and smashed the bottle of ink as it collided with the stone wall.

He wasn't getting anywhere, and his time was running out.

Xxxxxx

Rolanda read the letter with disbelief.

She hadn't lied to him. That had been their address.

She knew Jacques was killed- it was in the prophet. Tessa had supposedly given a statement, but she figured that was more of Donal's manipulation.

But he didn't have her.

So had she actually given that statement?

A knock at her door broke her train of thought and she quickly tossed the letter into the fire.

"Come in!" She called.

The door opened and Tessa and Minvera stood at the door. "Hi Aunt Ro!" Tessa said.

"Hi! Good to see you! How are you?"

Tessa shook her hand. "So-so. Getting better. How are you?"

"As guess as good as an old flying teacher can be."

Minerva laughed, "Which I guess is pretty good then!"

Rolanda smiled. "Where are you off to?"

"To St. Mungo's to see Esmerele. She's feeling better today."

Rolanda tried to keep her face neutral, her voice calm.

"What room is she? I want to go see her soon. I feel so lousy for not having been already but with the season starting…"

Minerva cut her off, "Don't be sorry. She's in room 654. She'd be more than happy to see you."

Tessa hugged Rolanda quickly, "I'm sorry we can't stay longer, but I wanted to see you anyway," and with a wave left. Her mother copied the gesture and followed close behind.

When the had left and their footfalls couldn't be heard, she hurried to her desk and withdrew a piece of parchment

Donal,

Room 654, St. Mungo's.

She's in the critical unit.

Password for side entrance- Draconus

Before you go, meet me at midnight. Same spot.

R.

Xxxxxxx

Minerva, Tessa, and Percival were seated around Esmerele's bed, each one taking turns relaying the story.

Esmerele cried softly and told of her captivity.

All of them laughed when Tessa couldn't produce a Patronus (Percival, not believing his sister was that thick, handed her his wand to see for himself. He then became a firm believer in his sister's thickness).

Out of the three, Percival was the only one who hadn't had a personal encounter with Donal. They were all thankful, however, that he didn't, because he never carried his wand with him, much to his mother's disapproval ("But I don't need it! Just give me a caldron, ladle, and knife and I'm fine!")

Minerva gave them the backstory. Well, not the whole story. She couldn't tell her kids that they had been lovers. Call it old fashioned, but she couldn't tell them how close she and Donal were. And not even that, it was embarrassing that he had used her so easily. It reflected worse on her than him.

And If Donal ever said anything about their affair… Well, no one would believe him anyway.

"We need to have a plan to protect the house, Mom." Tessa said.

"The Manor is thoroughly protected, I assure you."

"No, the house in Godric's Hollow. Could another safe house be made if that one was destroyed?"

Minerva thought about it. "Yes, but there wouldn't be a need. If he destroys the decoy house, then he'll come after me, thinking my magic will be depleted. And when he attempts to duel, I think he'll find a fair match in us."

Tessa laughed. "Not me. I'll cheer from the sidelines."

They all chuckled, but on a serious note her mother said, "I am going to have to teach you how to at least cast a protective spell and a few attacking spells. Did you really not study at all when you were in school? Your marks were fine!"

"Yeah, my marks were fine," Tessa said, "Because I paid this dork to do my work for me."

Minerva felt her teacher side flare up with anger, but Percival cut in, "Just like you, Tessa. Well, now an old bitch has to learn new tricks."

Tessa was about to rebuke his statement, but Esmerele added, "Don't even try to say you weren't a bitch. Don't even try."

She giggled and shook her head. "Alright, alright!"

Minerva smiled. "We'll start learning soon. Don't worry."

When they were finished, they just kept sitting at her bedside, holding hands with each other.

A family. A whole family.

And perhaps for the last time.

Xxxxx

Donal paced around anxiously waiting for Rolanda.

God, she better not screw up this time. His patience was running out.

Finally after what seemed like ages, he could see her figure coming down from the hill.

He rushed towards her.

"What?" he demanded.

"Why do you think I lied about Tessa? I gave you the right information!"

Donal laughed. "Don't play innocent with me. No McGonagall child could be as ignorant and stupid as she was."

Rolanda glared at him. "Well, she can be. Red hair? Blue eyes? Perfect little figure?"

Donal's face gave away the answer.

She pulled back and slapped him hard across his face, the contact echoing in the night. "You fucking idiot! You had her! And you let her go!"

Donal pulled back and smacked her back, knocking her to the ground. He leaned down and snarled, "Your information this time better be accurate. 'Cause if I don't get her tonight, I'm going to kill you next."

Xxxxx

Both Esmerele and Minerva were uneasy about Tessa's dueling abilities, to say the least.

Minerva blamed herself mostly, because really, when had she ever taken the time to ask about her daughter's school work?

They all marched out to the front lawn. Minerva was determined to teach Tessa something. But she wasn't the only one getting a lesson- Percival had failed his Defense Against the Dark Arts OWLS three times. Not that he didn't have the skills, but he just didn't care enough to try. Albus had just chuckled and shook his head.

They stood in the middle of the lawn and Minerva raised her wand and rose up a large block of wood, about six feet high and four feet thick of solid oak.

"First, what do both of you all know about defensive skills?"

Tessa raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. Percival mumbled something that she couldn't catch.

"Really, Percival, it's very annoying to mutter under your breath. If you would please speak properly."

Percival smiled- his mom was definitely in teacher mode.

"I remember Depulso and Protego."

"Tessa?"

"Yeah what he said."

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Do you remember the wand movements?"

Both of them gave her blank stares.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "For Depulso, which is used to push something back, it is a simple movement- a quick clockwise circle, starting at twelve o'clock and ending at the same point. So, Percival, you first. Aim at the block and try to push it back."

He gave her a sheepish look. "I don't have a wand. Mine's at the Order."

Rolling her eyes again, she reached into her inner robes and grabbed her extra wand.

"Tessa, please tell me you have your wand."

She reached into her boot and withdrew her wand. Minerva remembered how distinctive Tessa's wand was- the wood was the lightest beige with delicate patterns drawn on the handle. It was so perfect; Minerva wondered if she had ever used it.

"Thank goodness. Now Percival, if you will, Depulso please. Emphasis on the middle of the word, not the first and last vowels."

"Mom, that is a thick piece of wood!"

"Yes, but it, unlike Donal, is inanimate and stationary and cannot fire back. If you would rather I will get Filius to help with the dueling."

Percival shook his head- he knew how good her deputy was.

"Alright then, shall we?"

Percival stepped forward and grasped the wand. He felt a surge of magic run up his arm.

"Don't grip it so tightly, my lord you're going to break it in half!"

Blushing, he eased his grip.

He took his stance and aimed. "Depulso!"

And much to his surprise, the wooden block went flying backwards in the air a good ten feet.

"Hey!" He said proudly. "Look at that!" He smiled broadly.

"Good. Now you Tessa."

Tessa rolled her eyes and stepped forward. Casually she took aim. "Depulso."

The wood quivered and remained in the same place.

"Really?" That was all Minerva said. But she did give her daughter the raised eyebrow.

Tessa rolled her eyes and took aim again. "Depulso."

The block leaned backwards, looked like it would tip, then righted itself."

Minerva crossed her arms.

"Depulso."

The block weakly fell over, and Minerva righted it.

"Depulso!"

The wall fell over with a thud.

Now Tessa was getting frustrated. Percival had done it on the first try. She was a McGonagall too, damn it.

"DEPULSO!" She yelled, and with a burst of light the block went flying- twenty, thirty, forty feet.

Minerva gave a smirk. "Impressive, my dear."

Tessa gave a sassy smile. "Thank you."

"Percival, the next is Protego. It's a broad arch. You must be very forceful with this one too. The amount of energy you put in it- that is how strong it will be. Since we have reserves, you can pull on them too, but be ready when the magic pulses through you."

"Why?" They asked.

"Because it will feel like a train is pulling your arm. Now, I will be trying to hit you with the disarming spell, which is?"

Blank stares.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, come on you two!"

"Uhhhhh…" was all Tessa gave.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" She cried, frustrated that her children didn't know these simple spells.

"Right, right." They tried to cover.

"Uh, god." She muttered. "Right then. Tessa you first. I will count to three and you will cast the spell."

Tessa nodded and took her stance.

"One… two… three…"

A burst of red came out of Minerva's wand, and a weak little square came out of Tessa's. Minerva's spell easily pierced the shield and Tessa's wand went flying.

"The hell Mom?"

"Stronger!"

Tessa summoned her wand and took her stance.

Nodding, they both released their spells, only this time, Tessa's wall was strong. Her wand was vibrating and her arm was starting to hurt. Dropping her hand, the shield fell.

"Much better."

Percival stepped forward. They nodded, and the spells shot out, Percival easily protecting himself against his mother.

"Good. Now you know three spells- Depulso, Expelliarmus, and Protego. Those are the basics, though I would advise both of you to read up."

Xxxxx


	9. Chapter 9

Back at the castle, Minerva and her two children sat in silence.

Minerva read her old Transfiguration texts. Tessa and Percival had their noses in Defense Against the Dark Arts books. Percival was now on the third book; Tessa was barely halfway through the first.

When they couldn't read anymore, they tossed ideas back and forth about how to catch Donal. They had discussed it with Esmerele, too.

Percival wanted to lure him to the house and capture him there. Tessa wanted to kill him outright. Esmerele wanted to just stay at Hogwarts until the Ministry found him.

With nothing more to do, Minerva stood and stretched. "I'm off to bed. I'm sure you can remember where your rooms are."

They nodded and said their goodnights.

Up in her room, Minerva stripped her clothes and transfigured the shower into a pool.

Jumping in, she started slow methodical laps.

Stroke, kick, breathe. Stoke, kick, breathe.

She thought about what was happening. Could she really stop it? Perhaps the best way to finish him once and for all was to meet him by herself outright. A duel to the death. With all her magic reserves, no doubt she had the skill to beat him.

But Donal had unadulterated rage and fury, and mixed with magic, it makes a deadly combination.

Should she try to protect the house? Should she stay there?

How long would the children stay at Hogwarts?

Was anyone else in danger? Her cousins were still traveling abroad. Unlikely they would be targets.

Donal wouldn't try to attack Hogwarts. Too many witnesses and much more magic against him.

It would end up being a one-on-one duel. She knew it.

50 meters, now 100, now 200, now 500.

Her shoulder began to protest at the sudden workout.

Halting at the end of the next lap, she pushed herself out of the water and wrapped in a towel.

Not bothering with her normal nightly routine, she flicked her wrist and dried her body. Another flick and her towel was a nightgown.

Collapsing on the bed, she almost instantly fell asleep, her body thankful for the rest.

Xxxxxx

The healer walked into Esmerele's room to give her the nightly pain potions.

Normally she would protest against it- she hated how it made her so sedated- but tonight, it was welcome.

It had been a long day. A happy day, but a long one.

She leaned her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes.

With a small movement of her hand, she transfigured her cup into a vase of roses, and she turned her head to the side to fall asleep smelling the sweet smell.

In a few moments, the potions began kicking in, and she felt herself falling into that dreamy place between being awake and being in a dream.

She felt more than heard someone walking in the room.

It took her more effort than she would have liked to turn her head back to the front.

Forcing her eyes open, she peered out.

The clock displayed 1:01 am.

Odd, the healers were gone for the night. They left the Critical ward at 11:30 pm. The night shift team wouldn't come in until 1:30.

The outline was fuzzy, but sure enough it was someone in the standard white and blue robes.

She closed her eyes again.

Something in the back of her mind whispered to her that something wasn't right.

The drug induced side of her mind kept pulling her closer to sleep.

Still, that nagging voice persisted, and she opened her eyes again.

She peered at the healer once again.

Her subconscious mind took in his appearance. Tall, dark hair.

Another red flag went up. Had she seen him before?

No, her mind said, you haven't. At least, not here.

Sleep was overwhelming her and she fought to keep her train of thought going.

Where did you see him?

Society? There was Jarod, Connor, Tiernan. Nope.

Percival's friends? No.

Mother's friend?

Red flag.

Hogwarts? No. Then where? She only associated with people at the school.

Her mind was fuzzy.

Ministry? No.

An old friend?

YES! YES! YES! Her mind screamed.

Then like a stream train going full speed down a long hill, she jolted awake, knowing exactly who was standing in her room.

Donal Bregger.

He turned around at her sudden intake of breath, and a slow smile formed on his haunting face.

"Missed me?"

xxxxxxx

Minerva tossed and turned in her sleep. To an onlooker, she'd probably look like she was fighting off some inner demon, the way her arms and legs kept thrashing about.

Despite her movements and spasms, she still stayed asleep.

She was hovering above a tall building she immediately recognized as St. Mungo's.

Hard to miss, really, with its stark white walls contrasting with the black London sky.

Her body, was she in her body? She couldn't feel a body. So perhaps she was just a mind, floating above. Whatever the case, her body was lowering down to the bottom floor.

A side entrance was in front of her. Curious, she never recalled anything about a side entrance, though of course there had to be one.

A cloaked figure walked up from behind. The person, she was sure it was a person, was hunched over, face hidden in the thick robes.

The voice whispered a word. The door gently swung open.

Both the figure and she moved forward.

Before her was a stark white hallway. The figure took a sharp turn through a door and disappeared.

She couldn't follow, but she took in the scene.

Forward she floated. The first room seemed oddly familiar. The second too.

Then with a sudden realization, she knew exactly where she was.

Critical ward.

The figure reappeared, though this time in a white and blue healer's robe.

Her mind forced her to look away, and she was now in her daughter's rooms.

She looked peaceful.

Footsteps, and then the man entered.

Turning towards the bed, cobalt blue eyes bore in to the spot where Minerva's eyes would have been.

And, feeling as if her breath was gone, she began to fall, the scene began to melt, and no matter how hard she tried to move forward, she couldn't get back.

There was a piercing scream, then her dream went black.

Xxxxxx

Percival and Tessa were sitting in his room playing chess. It was a sight to behold. They had never sat peacefully together. Actually, Tessa had never been in her brother's room her entire childhood.

"You were no fun to pick on!" She said, playfully hitting his arm.

"Why not?"

"Because you wouldn't get angry. You'd just look at me and give me that silly grin and keep on your marry way. It was infuriating! I just wanted to see you get angry!"

Percival smiled, "I knew exactly what you wanted, but I wasn't about to give it to you!"

Tessa laughed and took a sip of her tea. "Esmerele was a strange little thing, wasn't she?"

He nodded. "She was just like Mom."

Tessa scoffed. "Not at all like Mom!"

"Now there I have to disagree. You really didn't get to know Mom like we did. And during Nugget's school years, when she and Mom would sit together? My god, they were spitting images of each other. And Mom was only distant with you because she didn't want to set you off again. But when she was really at ease, she and Esmerele were just alike."

"Well, I guess I can see that. But Nugget was the sweetest baby and nicest girl in the world. I was two when she was born, and I don't think she ever cried. I went up to her crib one night and pinched her, just to see if she was broken or something. And she just peered at me with her green eyes and giggled."

"You know, I don't remember her crying either."

"Not once! And even as a toddler, she was happy with whatever she was given. She didn't ask for anything. She just sat there, listening to everyone, taking in everything. When I was ten, I was so thoroughly ready to go to France. And one night, she came into my room. It was late, oh, around eleven. I wasn't really asleep, but when she came in I pretended like I was, you know, so she would leave."

"Yeah, you gave that to Mom a lot too."

"Shut up I'm not done." He threw up his hands.

"As I was saying, she came into my room and she sat on the floor. And then in this tiny little voice she whispered 'I'm sorry you're so unhappy here, T. I wish I could make you happy…

You're my big sister, and I need a big sister here with me.' Then she started to cry and god it just killed me! She said, 'I'm so scared, T, I'm so scared to go to school on my own! I want you here with me. I want to wake up and know my sister is there to protect me. Please, please don't go. I'm going to miss you so much, and Mommy will too! I know you fight with her, but, T, she's been crying every single night since you said you were going to go. Please don't go.'

… and then she just walked out of the room. She never said a word about it the next day."

Percival smiled sadly. "Did you say anything?"

"How could I? I was ten and my baby sister had pretty much chopped through my thick skin with one swing. And I just…. God, Perc, I felt so guilty. I mean, I knew I was mean to Momma but I just couldn't stop."

Percival leaned in and held his sisters hand. "We never stopped loving you, you know. We always loved you. We just wanted you happy."

"I know." She smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek and falling onto the couch.

She wiped her eyes and was reaching for her tea when a horrible scream came from their mother's room.

Glancing at each other, they bolted out of the room and dashed upstairs.

Their mother was thrashing on the bed, her face twisted in pain, her hands balled around the headboard as if she was hanging on for dear life.

"Momma! Momma!" Tessa yelled, reaching out and shaking her shoulders.

"Minerva!" Percival yelled. "Minerva wake up!"

"Momma!"

Her eyes shot open and she sat upright. Her mind was in a spin, and she tried to sort out the thoughts and feelings running through her mind.

Minutes passed and not a word was spoken.

"Mommy?" Tessa asked gently.

Then Minerva collapsed back onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably, fists hitting the headboard.

"He's got your sister!" She cried. "That bastard found my baby!"

xxxxxx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone out there reading this?


	10. Chapter 10

Staring at the marble floor, Rolanda could barely lift her head enough to throw up in the toilet.

She had wanted revenge on Minerva, had harbored such a grudge against her. And now that Donal was back, this was her chance to once and for all bring her down.

But as she lay on the floor, sweating, shaking, and throwing up, she knew she couldn't live with the choice she had just made.

Because even though she had hated Minerva after her choice, she had been with her and had been her friend for over forty years now. And even though at the beginning it was just a ruse to help Donal, she couldn't help but fall in love with their friendship.

And how much good Minerva had done… God, it still blew her away.

During the wars- how stoic and solid she had been in the face of so much grief and pain…

How she had sat at her husband's funeral without any display of emotion in front of her students except for an occasional tear…

How she had put her own money and efforts into repairing the school….

And when parents couldn't afford to send their children to school, she had silently paid for their tuition all seven years. At any given point in time, she could have been paying for ten children or forty.

And when Rolanda couldn't pay for her cancer treatments, Minerva didn't hesitate to pay the bill.

Minerva was there through it all, and never once did she ask to be recognized. And sadder still, she never was.

And even worse, she knew the Minister of Magic had dispatched a team to search St. Mungo's per Minerva's request, but they had arrived too early, and no doubt Donal would be watching from afar anyway.

If they had done their main sweep, it was unlikely they'd still be on high alert by the time Donal would enter.

She looked at the clock. It displayed 12:53. Seven minutes until Donal would make his move to capture Esmerele.

Pulling herself up, a steely resolve formed in her heart.

She had screwed up. She had betrayed her best friend.

But she would be damned if she let him get away this time. She had to do something.

She stumbled to her cabinet and withdrew a Pepper Up potion. Chugging it, she washed her face and grabbed her cloak.

12:55.

She mounted her Firebolt and flew to the front of the castle, and with a pop, she apparated into the freezing night.

Xxxxx

Minerva threw the covers off her and jumped out of bed. "I've got to go!" she cried, frantically throwing open the wardrobe and pulling out her clothes.

"Mom!" Percival said. She ignored him.

"Mom, listen!"

Still she ignored him, and brushed past them into the bathroom.

"MINERVA KATHERINE MCGONAGALL LISTEN!" He yelled. That worked.

She stopped and whipped around, eyes round with surprise. "WHAT?"

"Don't go there by yourself."

Minerva scoffed. "Really, don't be thick. I can take him with my eyes closed."

Percival shook his head. "I know Mama but don't go there by yourself. It already looks odd that we keep going in there to visit her, but if you just march in there and start firing curses, it's going to be really obvious to everyone you're personally involved, and they're going to demand answers."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE ANSWERS, GODDAMN IT! I WANT MY DAUGHTER ALIVE!"

"THINK RATIONALLY, MOM! Even if you do save her, you're going to have to explain why she was in danger the first place and why you're protecting a Society witch! And our whole family- our whole LIFE that we have worked SO HARD on protecting- is going to be revealed!"

"I DON'T CARE IF IT'S REVEALED AS LONG AS SHE'S ALIVE!"

"YES YOU DO! Because if everyone knows what you have kept hidden, your credibility will be RUINED! No one will trust you anymore! Think of everyone who has depended on you, Mom! They'll be pulling up records, bank statements, our birth certificates!"

Minerva just stared at her son. Tessa sat on the bed listening to the exchange. Wise girl- let big brother handle this.

"Mom, please. Go to the Floo. Call Kingsley. Get an Auror and Unspeakable Team to surround and protect the hospital. Let the Aurors go in and find Donal. Look, Mom, I want her safe too. But barging in solo isn't going to do us any good, especially if he has others working with him."

"He hasn't before."

"But he might start; we have no way of knowing. Mom, I know you could kill him. I know you could. But Mom, it's just 10:47. The Healers are still on shift. If the Aurors get there before the shift ends, then he won't have a window of opportunity before the next shift starts."

Minerva stared at her son. He was just like his father. Absolutely infuriatingly like his father- calm and collected at all situations.

"Yeah what he said." Tessa said.

Minerva rolled her eyes for the millionth time. "Fine. FINE! Then get out my way."

Percival threw his hands up and stepped aside as his mother dashed down the stairs towards the mantle, instantly grabbing the Floo powder and yelling "KINGSLEY!"

Tessa gave her mother a classic look of disapproval. "Yelling won't get the Floo to work faster."

She gave her daughter a disapproving look. "If you weren't my child, I'd slap that smirk of your face. I really would."

Tessa rolled her eyes.

Then Percival realized why she didn't understand this- she didn't know about her dreams before- and how deadly accurate they were.

"Sis," he touched her face, "Sorry, but…" He summoned his magic and transferred his memory to hers.

She closed her eyes as the magic hummed through her, visions passing through her mind in the blink of an eye.

Letting her go, he studied her face.

She just looked at him with wide eyes and said a quiet, "Oh."

The fire activated and Kingsley's voice echoed in the office. Tessa and Percival moved to stand behind their mother.

"Minerva? What on earth? Why are you calling my house? It's late!"

"Yes, I can read clocks perfectly fine, but I'm telling you that Donal is going to try and take Esmerele from St. Mungo's."

Kingsley gave her a look. "How do you know?"

Minerva gave an exasperated sigh. "I just do, now please, I'm trying to be responsible and call you instead of just barging in there and doing it myself. Now if you would rather I just let you go and enjoy your night and go by myself, alone to St. Mungo's, I shall."

Kingsley gave Minerva a look that spoke volumes.

"Fine. I'll send them out now."

"Unspeakables around the hospital and Aurors inside and out."

"I know my job Minerva."

She raised her eyebrow. "See that you do."

Xxxxxx

Kingsley stood in the lobby as the Auror team regrouped. He glanced at the clock- 12:37. They had been searching and sealing the building since 10:54.

If there were any security breaches, surely they would have found them by now.

All the Floo networks were sealed, the main entrance would remain guarded, and the other doors were password protected, and only a handful of healers knew the code.

The lead Auror, Darius Fitzhugh, stepped forward and shook his head. "We didn't find anything, sir. All the patients are who they said they were, all the entrances are sealed, and none of the windows have been tampered. We found no evidence of portkeys or other means of apparating in the building."

"And surrounding?"

"We have asked the families to seal off their Floo networks until 1:30 and all obliged. We also have a division in the sky looking for anyone flying in as well."

Kingsley nodded. "That's the best we can do then. What about the critical ward?"

"The critical ward has one door entrance on the west wing, but the administrator assured me that only patient's families and a select group of high level healers have the access code."

"Will you leave someone in Esmerele's room then?"

"We are leaving someone patrolling the hallways, but Ms. Brian requested that she remain alone for the night. If I may ask sir, who gave you this tip? Surely they had sounder evidence than just a hunch."

Kingsley replied roughly, "Do not question where the tips come from. If nothing happens, then it looks good on us. If something does happen, you better pray like hell you have a job come tomorrow morning."

Darius nodded and turned back to his team. With a final nod to the Minister, the Division walked through the last Floo back to the Ministry.

Kingsley stood and stared at the ceiling, shaking his head.

"I hope you're wrong, Minerva. I really do."

Xxxxxx

Tessa was trying to stay awake in the chair, but so far she wasn't successful. It was nearly midnight, and her whole body wanted to be asleep.

Percival seemed fine, though how he was… it was anyone's guess.

The boy seemed to stay awake for days upon end without sleeping sometimes, Minerva remembered that from his school days.

But then again, Albus would do that too.

The fire came to life and all three crowded around.

"And?" Minerva asked cautiously ask Kingsley's face came through the fire.

"Nothing Minerva. Not a breach anywhere in the whole building."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. She hated being wrong, but more than that, she hated being proved wrong when her gut told her she was right.

"Are you leaving Aurors there?"

"Both on the premises and in the air."

She nodded, "Thank you. It is the best thing we can do."

"It is, and I will let you know if anything changes."

With that, he disappeared and the fire waned.

"What do you want us to do Mom?" Tessa asked gently.

Minerva shook her head. "Wait, I suppose. That's all we can do, isn't it?"

Percival thought about it. "How about you change the furniture, Mom?"

Minerva gave him a look. "And what good is that going to do?"

"I figured we'd all sleep in here tonight, that way we'll hear if the fire goes off or if someone comes through the office. And I personally don't want to sleep in a chair or on the floor, but if that's what you want then I won't complain."

"Tessa?"

She shrugged. "Fine by me."

Minerva turned to her desk and grabbed her wand, and with a few strokes the furniture morphed into three queen size beds, all a good distance from each other. Another wave and the lights dimmed.

All three of them crawled in their respective beds.

Percival lay on top of the comforter, like he always did.

Tessa burrowed herself underneath the sheets and comforter, like a little animal burrowing in the winter.

Minerva hugged her pillow close to her and tried to put her mind to rest.

Esmerele was safe.

Fornow,the back of her mind whispered.

And with sadness in her heart, she knew she couldn't refute it.

Xxxxxx

Rolanda apparated to the small housing district beside St. Mungo's. She figured that there would be some Aurors still in place even after the initial search was finished.

She hid her broom behind a trash bin and cast a quick masking spell around it. Turning the spell on her, she felt a warmness spreading over her body as she disappeared from sight.

It was a couple of blocks before the hospital, and she starting running out of sheer desperation to stop what she had caused.

She rounded the corner and the building loomed in front of her. She dashed to the side door and whispered the password.

The door creaked open and she slipped inside.

Stepping silently on the marble floor, she tried to listen for any signs of another person walking the halls.

To her left was a dressing room and she opened the door slightly to see if maybe he was in there.

On the ground was a man in Ministry robes. He wasn't moving.

Rolanda kneeled down and pressed her fingers against his neck. A pulse beat steadily.

So probably Donal just knocked him out. Good, but bad. Because that meant that he was definitely in the building and now there wasn't anyone on the floor who could stop him.

She picked up her pace and dashed down the hall, coming to a halt as Esmerele's door.

Donal stood beside the bed, casting fire binds on Esmerele's arms and legs.

She wasn't moving, wasn't fighting.

But if the binds were there, she must still be alive.

Breaking her invisibility charms, Rolanda fired. "Expelliarmus!" But before the curse hit him, he blocked it.

"What the hell are you doing here? Why are you casting at me?"

"Because I've fucked up, Donal. That's why. And I don't hate Minerva! She's been good to me. And I won't let you just take her daughter- and for what! What could you possibly gain from her?"

"You know what I want!"

"No, I don't! But whatever it is, she doesn't have it! Please, let her stay, let her live!"

Donal's eyes were red with rage and he fired a curse at Rolanda, barely missing her chest.

She fired back, blue light bursting from her wand. With a wave, he blocked her curse and sent another one hurling back at her.

She tried to move, tried to block it, but still part of the curse hit her shoulder, and she screamed out in pain as what felt like daggers ripped through her muscle and bone.

Still she fired back, and this time she managed to knock him back, allowing her to run out into the hall and take cover.

He bolted out of the room and fired down the hallway towards her, the rock of the statue she was behind took a nasty hit, and the marble burst outward.

She fired again, but missed badly.

He fired back, breaking more of the marble.

She could hear him marching forward. She had to move.

She ran backwards, crouching to avoid being seen, and ducked behind the wall.

A flick, and she sent out a spell to lock Esmerele's door.

Donal heard the lock click shut, and for a split second, he turned his attention away from her back to Esmerele's room.

In that second, Rolanda fired again, this time, her curse collided with his hip and he went sprawling backwards onto the floor.

With a yell of pain, he rolled over to his side and fired back, sending out a ball of fire down the hallway towards her.

She ducked back, but the fire collided with the adjacent wall, and she sent up a shield to try and protect her body from the hellish flames.

She knew the side of her body had to be burnt. She could smell it more than feel it.

But still, she fired again.

There was a deafening silence.

She peered around the corner. Donal was nowhere to be seen.

She staggered out and looked around the hallway. Nothing.

Limping and grasping the wall with her good arm, she moved to Esmerele's door.

Still locked. And inside Esmerele lay silently, unmoving on her bed.

She looked back down the hallway. There was a thick trail of blood from where she had been. She looked at her shoulder. Well, there wasn't really a shoulder- it looked as if some animal had ripped it from it sockets, and she could see her muscle and bones jutting out of her wounds.

A bolt of light came hurling towards Rolanda, and she flattened herself to the ground as it whizzed past her head.

Now totally unprotected, she pressed herself against the floor as she sent another spell outward, putting all of her energy into it.

A bright orange light burst out, and she heard Donal yell in pain. Then came the unmistakable pop of apparating. Raising her head, she was greeted with an empty hallway.

Then her golden eyes closed and she collapsed to the ground, her mind willing her body to shut off against the agonizing pain.

Xxxxxx

The guard at the front heard a commotion from somewhere in the building. He ignored it and kept pacing around the front. Then, from the side of the building, he saw a great ball of fire through the window. Not wanting to get in the crossfire, he sent a signal into the night sky to the Aurors and Unspeakables he knew were still keeping patrol.

Xxxxxx

Bernard Retcher, an Auror who was stationed on the roof of the building, saw the ball of fire as well as the red sparks in the night sky. He responded by sending up another spark of light to signal to the others in the vicinity. Then he turned and ran down the stairs into the building, throwing the Floo in the fireplace. "Minister of Magic!"

Xxxxxx

Kingsley was pacing around his room, glancing at the clock. It was not but 1:13 in the morning. He heard his fireplace crackle and a dread began to fill his chest. "Minister?" A voice called. "What's happened." A statement, because he knew something had to have happened at the hospital. "There is a fire in the building and the guard has signaled a warning. We're sending in a team to investigate." With that the fire closed.

Xxxxxxx

Percival was the first to hear the fire come to life. "Minerva?" Kingsley's voice came out. "I'm here," she called weakly from the bed after her son gave her a not-so-gentle push on the back. "Minerva, the guard has alerted us to activity in the hospital. I don't know anything except that an Auror saw fire through a window. I'll keep you posted." "I'm going," she said, already making her way back to the stairs. "Don't…." but then he stopped, knowing his words would be utterly useless.

Xxxxxxx

Esmerele was completely unconscious on the bed, oblivious to the duel going on outside her bedroom. The pain potions had nearly knocked her out, and on top of that Donal had given her a drop of Drought of Death, slowing her heart rate and breathing until it was nearly non-existent. The combination of the two, if not treated soon, would kill her.

Xxxxx

The Auror team rushed into the critical ward. The marble statue in the hallway was shattered. Scorch marks ran across the floors, walls, and ceiling. The air smelled like smoke and burned flesh. They saw a blood trail leading to a body crumpled on the floor. There was a puddle of blood around her, and her arm was badly injured. "HEALERS! NOW!"

And in an instant a team of healers ran forward to examine the woman. "Barely alive." The healers called. "Is it Esmerele?" "No, she's in her room, but the door is locked. We need to get this woman out of here!" The healers placed the mangled body on a stretcher and immediately whisked her into the adjacent room to start working on the injuries. The Aurors rushed forward and blew the door to pieces, and the healers marched in to assess Esmerele. "I can't find a pulse!" The first one cried. A whirl of diagnostic spells flew around her small body.

"It's the Drought of Death! It's interacting with her pain potions!" "Drain her system!" "But sir, we don't know if we can filter out the potions!" "We have to try!"

xxxxxx

Minerva apparated to the front of St. Mungo's with Tessa and Percival close behind. Kingsley rushed forward to meet them. "What's happened? Tell me!" She demanded. "Rolanda was here. Apparently she tried to stop Donal and she is seriously injured. The healers don't know if she'll make it through the night."

Minerva clutched her chest and Percival ran forward to support her. "Is Esmerele alive?"

"She has pain potions and Drought of Death in her system. They're trying to flush it out but they don't know if they can filter out her blood stream quick enough. She needs a blood transfusion."

"I'll give it…"

"But Minerva, if you do, the healers are going to know you're her mother, and we can't let them."

"I'll do it." Percival said.

"You're not a match."

All three sets of eyes turned to Tessa. "Where do I go?" She asked.

Xxxxx

Minerva ran into Rolanda's room.

The prognosis was grim.

She had suffered severe blood loss, and the healers didn't think they could replenish it enough to save her.

On top of that, her blood was already compromised from her cancer treatments.

They didn't think she'd last until dawn.

Minerva leaned down and held her friend's hand. Rolanda looked at her with sad eyes- they looked almost brown, as if all the luster had gone from them.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be, please don't be, darling, you saved my daughter."

Rolanda shook her head. "Minerva, I was the one who told him she was here. I was the one who gave up Tessa."

Minerva stared at her in disbelief. "What…? Why…?"

Rolanda looked at her with nothing but guilt in her eyes. "Quidditch." She said simply.

Minerva looked away as tears filled her eyes. "After all this time…"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just… but I couldn't live with it. That's why I came here to stop him. I knew the Aurors were too early."

She looked at her friend. "You saved her."

"It was the only thing I could do after I betrayed you. And I know I'm going to die, and I don't even want to live."

Tears spilled over as Minerva leaned down and pressed her head against her friend's, "Oh, no, please, please stay with me. I need you. Please don't leave me!"

"Forgive me, Minerva I'm so sorry."

"I do forgive you, I do. Please don't give up! Stay with me! Fight with me! Please!"

"I love you, Minerva." And with that, her golden eyes closed for the last time.

A long beep sounded.

Rolanda Hooch has passed through the veil.

Xxxxxx


	11. Chapter 11

The healers whisked Tessa away into a room and immediately began picking IVs and drains into her. There was a curtain between her and her little sister, but whenever the healers moved about, she could catch a glimpse of her lifeless body.

She felt her blood being pulled out of her system as a healer was dripping potions into her other arm to replenish her lost supply.

She felt dizzy and weak, and the healer pressed a gentle head on her forehead. "Relax. This will take a while."

She didn't want to just sit there and sleep while her sister fought for life, but as each drop of blood left her system, she knew she couldn't fight it for long.

Xxxxxx

"Rolanda Hooch. Time of Death, 1:48 am, November 15. Cause of Death- exsanguination due to extensive injuries. Next of Kin- None."

Xxxxxx

Minerva sat in the hallway, staring out into nothing, unblinking, not feeling.

Percival wrapped his arm around her, trying to comfort her, though he knew his efforts were in vain.

She would not be comforted. She had just lost her best friend and now her daughter's life was hanging in the balance.

Not that he wasn't anxious or worried. Quite the opposite. But he, like his father, was stoic and steady during the hard times.

And even if he wasn't wired that way, one look at his mother told him that he needed to be her rock for her, for she didn't have anyone left.

Xxxxxx

Esmerele saw a light in the distance. Soft, gentle… just hovering off in the distance.

She walked forward towards it. It seemed to move away but as it moved away it grew bigger, too.

She felt warmth from the light spread over her body. She raised her arms and spun around, enjoying the feeling against her skin.

She kept running forward… running… running… until she was engulfed by the warm light.

Xxxxxx

"She's coming out!" The healer called. "She's coming out! Quickly, unhook the drains!"

xxxxxx

Minerva heard the commotion as several healers rushed into her daughters' room. She stood up and rushed forward, fearing that the worst was going to greet her.

From the window she saw the drains and tubes being removed from their arms and as a healer gently shook Esmerele, her eyes opening groggily.

Her skin looked pale. Never before had Minerva seen anyone look so fragile and ill lying in the bed.

Esmerele turned her head gently and caught her mother's emerald eyes that matched her own.

She gave her a small wink.

Minerva's heart soared.

She knew her daughter would live.

Xxxxxx

Tessa blinked. There was a flurry of movement around her, and she felt the tubes being pulled form her arms.

She turned her head to the side and saw her baby sister smiling back at her.

Xxxxxx

Kingsley paced anxiously around the lobby. Two hours and no word on how Esmerele was doing.

He knew that Rolanda's death would spark a lot of questions, and he had no idea how he was going to even begin answering them.

One thing that bothered him- how had she known? And another thing- how had Donal gotten in?

Questions that, he was sure, wouldn't be answered soon or easily.

He wanted to stay off the critical ward because he just couldn't face Minerva. She had warned him that this would happen, and even though he had tried to stop it, her daughter had still been hurt.

What's worse than failing at your job? Failing when you had been given a heads up.

Finally a healer walked into the lobby. She gave Kingsley a quick nod and a smile and walked back to finish her job.

With a sigh of relief, he apparated back to the ministry.

He had a long day ahead.

Xxxxxx

Minerva had pulled a chair between her daughter's beds and sat holding their hands.

Esmerele was sleeping peacefully, her system still weak from all that had happened.

Tessa was falling in and out of sleep, still dizzy and a bit confused from her rapid blood loss.

The healers assured Minerva that both girls would be fine, though Esmerele wouldn't be allowed to work for several months. She was also not allowed to use her Animagus form for at least 6 months.

Minerva knew that would irk her daughter to no end.

But as she sat holding their hands, she knew that she was lucky, to say the least.

But she was going to have a few words with the Minister.

She had warned him that this would happen. And what did he do? Absolutely futile attempts to stop it.

She should have just come here herself. Had she been on guard at her daughter's door, no way Donal would have made it anywhere near her.

When both girls were more stable, Minerva had already arranged for them to be transported to Hogwarts. Poppy would have to open the Floo for healers to come and go, but Minerva wanted her girls where she was sure they would be safe.

Because if she knew anything, she knew that Poppy would never let anything happen to her girls.

And when the healers had asked on what authority Minerva had to demand their transport, she had told them that she was their aunt.

They looked at her with suspicion, because Minerva didn't have any records of nieces or nephews. But when they glanced between her and Esmerele, it was obvious they had some sort of genetic connection.

At Minerva's annoyed expression, they didn't press the matter.

Xxxxxxx

My ten o'clock the girls were safe in the hospital wing, and Minerva left them to head to the Ministry.

She was dreading this visit all day, but she knew it was unavoidable.

Arriving at Kingsley's door, she found that it was already opened, and with a gentle knock she entered.

He sat behind his desk, turned slightly as to not look Minerva in the eye.

"I'm sorry." He weakly said. "I'm sorry I didn't prevent this from happening. And now Rolanda's dead because of me."

"Rolanda's dead because she was the one who gave Donal the information needed to break in."

Kingsley spun around and gave her a look. "What?"

Minerva sat down and sighed. "She and Donal were lovers before he went to Azkaban. When he escaped they reconnected, and she was the one who told him were to find Esmerele."

"I thought you were friends?"

"We are. But when she was younger, I told the Quidditch board about her cancer. That's why she couldn't play professionally."

"She held a grudge."

"So it seems. But her guilt caught up to her, and that's why she went to the hospital tonight to intercept Donal before he could hurt Esmerele."

Kingsley's face showed he was trying to process what he'd just heard. "So…"

"So she saved her. And that's all I want told. Rolanda died a hero, Minister, not a traitor."

He shook his head. "But if she…"

"Minister, I do not judge people on their past mistakes, only the actions they take afterwards. She died a hero."

Kingsley sighed and leaned back. "If that's what you want,"

"It is."

"Minerva, she has no family, and her will gives no instructions on where she is to be buried."

"I would like her buried at my family plot in Scotland."

"You can arrange transport?"

She nodded.

"What will you tell the school."

She stood up. "Only what they need to know."

Kingsley rose and shook her hand. "I trust you. And, Minerva, I really am sorry."

"Just keep looking for him. I hope this is the last strike he makes."

Xxxxxxxx

The Great Hall was filled with students and teachers, all sitting somberly in their house and staff robes.

The seat where Rolanda used to sit was empty. The staff had placed two crossing brooms diagonally across the seat along with a bouquet of Baby's Breath, her favorite flower.

"Students and teachers," Minerva began. "As you all know, we have lost a dear friend and staff member. Rolanda Hooch was more than just a Quidditch professor. To many of you she was a mentor, friend, and challenger. She always pushed her flyers to be the best that they could be.

She longed to play professionally, but her cancer prevented her from doing so. Despite her body's unwillingness to heal, she still persevered and went on to teach young witches and wizards the art of flying. Of her students, 79 of them have gone on to play Quidditch professionally, 34 of which are World Cup champions.

Her flyers were her family, and she was devoted to every single one of you. Don't ever think that she didn't love you. And know that she is looking down on you, flying with you, soaring with you.

We will never forget Professor Hooch. She was as much a part of Hogwarts as the very stones that hold up these hallowed halls.

She will be missed. And she will always be loved."

Xxxxxx

Minerva had arranged for the body to be taken to the family plot and buried that night. She didn't go with it, not because she didn't want to, but because she just didn't think she could handle it. And right now, her children and the students of Hogwarts needed her.

Xxxxxxx

The next day, the Prophet ran the story on Rolanda's death.

HOGWARTS PROFESSOR DIES IN VIOLENT BATTLE

ROLANDA HOOCH PROCLAIMED A HERO

Late last night, the escapee from Azkaban, Donal Bregger, broke into St. Mungo's hospital. His actual target has not been released, but according to officials, it was Rolanda Hooch, the famed Hogwarts' Quidditch Professor, was there to stop him.

According to the Minister of Magic, Hooch's heroic efforts saved the life of one of the patients at the hospital.

The hospital sustained damage on the critical ward, and teams are working now to repair the damage.

As a token of appreciation for Hooch's efforts, she has been awarded the highest honor for bravery, the Silver Phoenix.

A memorial was held yesterday at Hogwarts. The location of her burial is not being released.

Minerva closed the paper and smiled. It was a short, sweet article, nothing short of what Kingsley had promised.

She was still answering questions of the Auror teams as to how exactly she and Esmerele were related, but Kingsley had managed to created documents that stated Minerva was her aunt.

Was it lying? Yes. But if Kingsley was on her side, she wasn't worried about the repercussions.

Percival was sitting beside her, now thoroughly enthralled in the fifth Defense Against the Dark Arts book.

She patted his leg and he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement.

"I'm going to see your sisters. You staying?"

He nodded and she got up and left.

The students were all saddened by Rolanda's death, and down the hallways there were little candles floating around with letters and drawings lying on the floor.

The students who had taken the news the hardest were her seventh year flyers, all of whom spent at least two hours a day practicing with her.

She rounded the corner to the hospital wing and Poppy gave her a small smile.

"How you holding up?" She asked Minerva gently.

Minerva shrugged. "As best as we must, I suppose."

Poppy nodded and left.

Moving towards the beds, Tessa turned her head and smiled at her mom. "Hey."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. Tired. Ready to stop taking these nasty potions. How much longer do I have in here?"

"Only until tomorrow night."

Tessa rolled her eyes. Though a drama queen, she was never one to play patient.

"And your sister?"

Esmerele was sleeping soundly, her blankets tucked tightly around her thin frame.

"I think she's fine. Weak, but fine. She wakes up for a little bit and then sleeps for another couple of hours. How long is she in here for?"

Minerva shrugged. "No clue. It's up to Poppy."

Tessa rolled her eyes again. "Mom, I swear to god, she's worse than you are. Making me eat this and drink that. I swear, I've gained like 50 pounds since I've been in here."

Minerva laughed and shook her head. "Doubtful, but you do need to eat."

She hit her mom playfully and moved a bit closer so her head rested on her mother's lap.

"Momma,"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Minerva stroked her fingers across Tessa's perfect auburn hair, "I love you too."

Xxxxxxx


	12. Chapter 12

_For pronunciation of the Gaelic names: Siofra is like She-fra; Rioghnach is Rio-knock; Granuaile is Gran-ya-wail (Grania is Gran-ya); Riordan is Ree-r-dan._

_As always, enjoy!_

xxxxxx

By the end of the week, the students were somewhat pulled out of their depression by a rousing week of Quidditch games.

It seemed fitting, really, to have everyone all excited and worked up over the sport she loved best.

She wouldn't have wanted them to despair over her. She would have wanted them to fly.

And fly they had.

Hufflepuff had been knocked out after the first round, then Slytherin. To everyone's amazement, Ravenclaw played a hard match against Gryffindor, but in the end it was Minerva's team that had won.

Tessa had been released from the hospital wing, but she chose to stay in there most hours of the day so that Esmerele wouldn't be alone.

She too had felt much relief over the past days. She didn't know if it was Poppy's gentle care or having her sister by her side, but she felt better.

Inwardly, she knew it was because she was back in Hogwarts with her mother. And nothing made her feel safer than that.

Percival spent most of his time in the potion's rooms, much to Professor Grey's chagrin. Too often Percival would make faces (exactly like Minerva) whenever Grey said something he disagreed with or knew was wrong. Before too long, the students picked up on this, and they always sought him out whenever they needed answers or clues.

By the end of the week, Minerva had made her son stay in the private working room away from the class. He had also finished the Defense Against the Dark Arts books and was on his way to becoming quite the formidable opponent.

The Ministry had heard nothing new about Donal- there were no leads, no tips… nothing.

Minerva was more suspicious than calmed by this. It seemed like a calm before the storm, though her dreams had given her no insight as to what the storm could be.

Xxxxxx

On Friday night, when the students were occupied by another Quidditch game and her own children were preoccupied, she went to the Manor.

Arriving, nothing had changed. She withdrew a small knife and cut her hand, spreading the red blood on the wrought iron gates. The iron glowed a bright green, then creaked open to allow her access.

A millisecond after she entered, the gate slammed shut and disappeared.

She stepped forward, and a ghost appeared in front of her.

"Revelus McGonagall."

"Minerva, so it would seem."

"What riddle have you for me this time?"

"Your mother had a horse of whom she was particularly fond. What was his name?"

Minerva gave a small laugh. "My mother was allergic to hay, therefore she avoided horses because she always got reactions from the hay residue on their fur."

The ghost smiled and disappeared into the ground.

The house slowly appeared before her. She always seemed to forget how large the house actually was. It was white with a stone foundation that was easily five feet off the ground. With a large porch that wrapped around, it almost looked more southern American than Scottish. But the second story boasted a gray stone wall with high turrets jutting up on the eastern side. The third story was stone still, and the fourth floor ended in several high peaks.

The front door was an elaborate masterpiece of wood, iron, and glass. Seven feet tall and nearly six inches thick, it always made Minerva feel like she was entering another world instead of her home.

She walked up the large staircase to the front door.

Three knocks, and a face appeared in the glass.

"Password?"

" _Ma_ _se_ _ur_ _toil_ _e._ _"_   _Please_  in Scottish Gaelic. Simple, but the McGonagalls figured by the time someone made it up to the door, much more protection would be useless, as they would definitely be in range to blow up the whole place.

The face receded and the door slowly unlocked, making four short clicking sounds as the internal workings allowed her access.

She opened the door and shut it behind her. Her house smelled like heaven- Ginger, wood polish, books, evergreen, and a hot fireplace.

She took in her house. The front door gave way into a main ballroom with a long table along the right side and an empty dancing space to the left. In the furthest left corner was a grand piano that her father had bought. He had always loved music.

The walls were white with Gaelic inscriptions. The ceiling was a large mural, very reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel.

A large fireplace roared from behind the dining table.

At the back of the room was a staircase that gently wound upwards. Though not visible to anyone entering, the staircase continued downward to the kitchen and cellar.

Minerva walked across the perfect wood floor and her small house elf appeared before her.

"Mistress."

"Lera. How are you?"

"Fine, and yous? How are things at Hogwarts?"

"They are fine too, dear. I have a question. Has anyone been lurking about in the woods?"

Lera looked confused. "Lurking? I's doesn't know what yous means."

Minerva struggled for words. "Has anyone taken an extended hunting trip? Or for some reason been walking around … um… anyone surveying the land? Newcomers?"

Lera still gave her a confused look. "Mistress, if anybodies happens upon this land, they's memories are gone."

"So no then?"

"No ma'am."

Minerva sighed. "Good. Thank you. That'll be all."

"Is yous staying?" Lera gave her a hopeful look.

Minerva reached down and patted her head. "Not today my dear. But soon I shall."

The elf gave a small nod and disappeared.

The witch made her way across the rest of the room and headed up the staircase.

At the first landing, she went down the left hallway into the first room on the right. That room was her family's library. Colossal didn't quite cover it. With a twenty foot ceiling and floor space that was the size of the main ballroom, it held thousands of books in its shelves.

Minerva sometimes wondered if that total had reached a million.

In her flat in Scotland, that is where the texts had been hidden when Donal had stolen them. Now they were all secure inside the walls of her home.

This room was always Minerva's favorite. As a young girl, this was the first place she could have a respite from her cousins' rough housing and nagging.

She remembered her father most here, too. Her mother, who was always busy about the house, never took time to read. Her father would always come home and go straight into the library, and he would find his girl tucked into the corner of the leather sofa reading a book.

They didn't say much, but their time together had meant the world to both of them.

She shut the door and went down the hallway. Opening the last door on the left, she entered and locked the door behind her.

To everyone else, it was simply a linen closet, but Minerva knew better.

She withdrew her wand and cast a spell, the words silently forming on her lips. The words were old Scottish Gaelic, words she learned from her grandmother as a young girl.

The shelf then began to move backwards and rotate, revealing a staircase behind it.

Making sure the door was securely locked, Minerva walked down the stairs, the shelf turning and locking behind her.

This passageway was privy to only the Master or Mistress of the McGonagall house. When she died, it would fall to Percival.

Even the house elves didn't know of the passageway's existence.

"Lumos," she said, and the stairway was bathed in creamy light.

The stairs were winding down, steep and curvy, the stone wall cold and gray in the dim light.

She moved downward still, until finally she arrived to a thick wooden door with another elaborate lock.

Again she withdrew the small knife and cut her arm, allowing the blood to drop into the small opening on the top of the brass lock.

The door clicked, the inner locks twisting and turning.

The door swung open slowly, and with a deep breath, she entered.

Xxxxxx

Donal paced around in the cave, punching the stone siding for the hundredth time that day. His knuckles were a bloody mess, with bone beginning to show where they kept colliding with granite.

He was so furious. Rolanda had turned against him and he had killed her. Rolanda. His only true love. The woman who had stuck with him through it all.

And Minerva had won her over too.

And his search for the Manor was absolutely useless. There was nothing on any map anywhere that indicated the kind of magical reserves he believed to reside there.

Because of his UNDESIRABLE picture posted in all of the wizarding towns, he couldn't go into a library or the Ministry and obtain the records he needed to find the house's location.

He was running out of options and time. He had to do something.

Moving to the back wall, he went through everything he had managed to take from the children's homes.

Percival's were almost pointless to go through.

Potions… notes… potions… recipe…

Hypothesis… testing… experiment…

Notes… testing… notes…

He threw that pile to the side.

Grabbing the box of Esmerele's things, he began shuffling through.

Transfiguration notes…

A map of Scotland without any markings…

Request for additional materials…

Receipt from Madame Malkins…

More notes…

A recipe for lamb stew…

More transfiguration notes…

He threw that box to the side, too.

Grabbing Tessa's, he took one look in and decided it wasn't even worth his time to go through it- it was all letters exchanged from another girl named Gabrielle.

Nothing in their house had been older than a couple years old. Apparently, Tessa hadn't acquired the same knack for keepsakes like her mother and father.

Again he hit the wall, his hand bursting with pain as he continued pacing his circles.

Maybe it was his psychosis, maybe it was paranoia, maybe it was the truth- but he knew the Unspeakables were on his heels. He knew he wouldn't be free for long.

He started a small fire with the flick of his wand. He moved to grab the boxes and throw them in when an idea stopped him.

The receipt.

The receipts always had an address to them if they were delivered.

Dumping the box on the ground, he rummaged around until he found the slip of parchment he was looking for.

Receipt

_Minerva McGonagall_

_One violet silk inner dress- 1,546 Galleons_

_One black inner robe- 2,458 Galleons_

_One velvet trim on black and violet silk outer robe 4,360 Galleons_

_Magical Seams- 345 Galleons_

_Total- 8,709_

At this, Donal was a bit shocked. Minerva had never been one for anything expensive, much less clothing. And at those prices, she was buying nothing short of the best designers in the wizarding world.

Shaking away his surprise, he continued reading.

_Charged to Minerva McGonagall's Gringott's Account ***********5_

_Delivered to 47 Hallows Court, Godric's Hollow, England_

With a triumphant yell, he threw his fists in the air, flicked his wand, and apparated into the foggy sky.

Xxxxx

Minerva entered into the dark chamber. She extinguished her light and moved from memory into the center of the room.

She kneeled down and felt the stone floor for the familiar markings. Finding the Celtic cross on the floor, she removed her clothing and laid them away from the center markings.

Standing naked, her body shivered, her hands and feet numb in the icy cellar air. Her teeth began to chatter.

Lying down on the cross, her arms spread out like someone being crucified, her body shook as the cold granite hit her flesh.

Then the cross began to glow a faint green. She felt a warmth slowly ebb over her body.

The glow began to shine brighter, and she felt herself being pulled into another realm, another world.

Her eyes shut as the light grew blinding, and her mind receded into a private place.

In this limbo, dream like state, she was standing behind a table. Around it, the rest of her clan that had passed the veil sat.

She looked down, and her body was covered in a silk emerald dress.

Struggling to keep her wits, she bit back tears as her mother and father smiled at her, her cousin playfully winked her way, and her grandmother gave her an air kiss.

She moved to her chair and nearly lost her control as Albus turned to look at her.

Her heart melted at seeing him. God she had missed him… missed his arms around her… missed his laughter… missed his smile… his damn lemon drops.

She fought the urge to kiss him and hold him. She wanted nothing more than to jump in his lap, hold his face, and get lost in those gorgeous blue eyes.

Instead, she calmly sat beside him. She felt his hand move under the table to intertwine with hers. It felt so complete to have him holding her hand again. She was still wearing her wedding ring, too.

From the front of the room, a wizard who looked like an aged Zeus, except for his elaborate emerald robes, stood up. His long brown and gray beard seemed to blend in with his hair, much like Albus wore his in his youth.

The man was Riordan McGonagall, the first of the McGonagall clan. "Welcome, Minerva. It is good to see the Mistress of the clan alive and seemingly well."

"I am well, your Grace."

"Minerva," his wife, Rioghnach, address her. "It is so good to see you my dear."

Tessa bore a striking resemblance to her ancestor. Both had the perfect red air and blue eyes.

"It is good to see you too, my Lady."

"What calls you to summon us, my dear child?" Riordan asked.

"I fear that the Manor is in danger."

A grumble went out amongst the table, and many of them looked distressed.

Riordan put his hand up and the room fell silent. "Go on, Minerva."

"A man that I once trusted, Donal Bregger," at his name, Albus tightened his hold on her hand, "abused that trust by stealing Transfiguration texts from my personal library when I lived in Scotland. He used that information to aid Grindelwald in the war. He was immediately caught and sent to Azkaban, but he has escaped. From what I can gather, I believe he knows that my magical stores are tied to this house. He has already attacked my girls and Esmerele is still in the hospital."

A flurry of, "Is she well?" "What happened?" "Is Tessa alright?" "Will she recover?" went up around the room.

Minerva raised her hand, "She will be fine, but all the same, he had the means to find them. They are all three safely at Hogwarts now, your Grace."

Riordan studied her face. "What makes you think he would try to harm the house instead of just killing you?"

"Because he can't just kill Minerva." Albus said calmly. "She is the most powerful witch in the world at the present time, though Hermione Granger is well on her way to reaching Minerva's level. However, as you are aware, if Donal can destroy this house, he has a much better chance of killing her."

"But what has the clan done to anger him?" Rioghnach asked.

"Nothing, my Lady." Minerva said. "He is only thinking of his revenge for me. He doesn't understand what is held within these walls… That there is a true link to everyone in the clan even after we have passed…"

"That we are bonded to this place." Riordan finished.

"Yes," she breathed.

"What of your secret keeper?" he asked.

"Dead as of the beginning of this week, your Grace."

Riordan narrowed his eyes. "I'm assuming the same man is responsible for her death?"

Minerva nodded.

"And what of the children? Do they know how to get here?"

"Well," Minerva fiddled with her broach.

"We have a safe house." Albus finished.

Riordan snapped his head to look at her husband. "A safe house?" A small smile spread across his broad face. "Ingenious. How?"

Albus gave a small chuckle. "One of our children never had a particular, shall we say, inclination for the protection of the clan."

Rioghnach smiled. She was the one who kept up with the children of the McGonagall's. "Is this Theressa?"

He nodded. "Yes, though from my wife I gather that she has changed a bit during these trying times. But I digress. Minerva and I built a safe house that would transport us to the Manor. The house is located in Godric's Hollow, but in order to get from there to the Manor, Minerva must be there. It requires the present Mistress or Master to be there and cast a very complex array of spells for the wards to realign for the ten seconds it takes us to apparate there."

Riordan nodded, understanding. "So if this man finds the house on Godric's Hollow…?"

"He'll think that he has found the true Manor and, I assume, he will then attempt to kill me." Minerva finished.

The leader nodded. "So the threat is serious then. He is baying for your blood."

"He is, but I know that I can defeat him. The only variables…"

"The only variables in this are rage and fury, and my dear, the equations are not in our favor against it."

The man who spoke up was Conner O'Malley McGonagall. He was, and probably still is, the most skilled Arthrimancy master in the world. He had accurately predicted many events in the McGonagall clan's existence, and he was the main reason that most of them had outlived their colleagues.

"What do you mean?" Rioghnach asked.

"My Lady, I factored in Minerva's figures plus the children's. Now, stocked up against Donal, the chances are good, but that is if all the children are at their prime as far as dueling, which, Albus informs me, two of them are not."

"And Esmerele is very weak." Albus added.

Conner nodded. "So, we subtract a percentage of Esmerele's and reduce the other two."

"Only partially reduce Percival's," Minerva interjected. "He is learning quickly. He'll be good."

Conner nodded and his quill scratched furiously. "Ok. So we are reducing Esmerele's by roughly 41.94%..."

Riordan interrupted, "Just do the equations and tell us the final answer. You know I hate when you go into all those details."

Conner rolled his eyes and continued scratching, his lips moving in sync with his writing.

"Ok, so with all the changes, the odds are not with Minerva. The predictions have the favor of Donal. They also say that…" he stopped himself.

"Say it." Minerva said, though her heart wished he didn't.

"It predicts that one of the children will die in the fight, though I can't tell which one."

She closed her eyes. "And where are you predicting the battle will take place?"

Conner looked confused. "I'm sorry…?"

"The location, are you factoring in a normal house such as the one at Godric's?"

"Yes, but I…"

"Factor in Hogwarts."

Albus turned to face his wife. "Minerva you cannot bring the fight to the school! There are students there who will not be brought into the crossfire."

"Do you know what month it is?"

Albus shook his head.

"It's the last week of November. In two weeks, the children will be leaving for the Holiday vacation. The Forbidden forest will be sealed off to the remaining children anyway. If I can lure him there, I'll be close enough to pull on Hogwarts' magic as well as the McGonagall magic."

"Minerva, that is risky." Albus' eyes were glassy with concern.

"I know it's risky, damn it! But right now I don't have a choice, Albus!"

"58.3 to 52.6," Conner said weakly.

The room grew deadly silent.

"What did you say?" Riordan asked.

"58.3 to 52.6 in favor of Minerva's win, your Grace."

"Losses?"

"The equation still holds losing someone."

Albus shook his head. "Not good enough."

"And that is with Hogwarts?" Minerva asked incredulously.

"Yes." He said sadly.

"Minerva," her grandmother softly said. "Minerva, I think you can do it. But you must attack him first and weaken him before the final battle. Conner is calculating everyone at his peak strength. If Donal doesn't have his full strength, the odds go in favor of you more."

Albus shook his head. "No, Siofra! That's not good enough!"

"It must be, Albus. For if he discovers that the house at Godric's is a decoy, he's going to capture Minerva and take her memories himself."

"But how do we weaken him?" Minerva asked.

"I have an idea!" Piped in Granuaile. She was Minerva's great aunt, her grandmother's smallest sister. She died when she was only twenty-four after being caught in the crossfire of a rogue duel.

She had fierce, curly brown hair with red streaks. She was tall, about 6' 2", and she was all tomboy. Strangely enough, when she was growing up, she had been known as the prettiest girl of siblings. She was vivacious and daring.

Siofra rolled her eyes. "No, Grania, we are not going to listen to your wild woman ideas. Sit down and shut up." Grania was her sister's nickname, which she hated.

Minerva rolled her eyes. Typical sisters. Granuaile put her hand over her sister's mouth and kept speaking anyway.

"How about you rig the decoy house?"

Siofra roughly removed her hand. "Grania, that is the thickest…"

"WAIT!" Riordan cried. "What did you say?"

Granuaile's eyes went wide. She wasn't used to being called out in meetings.

"Rig the house, your Grace?" She said in a small voice.

"Details." The leader demanded.

"Well, if he believes that the house at Godric's is the real thing, he's going to go in there and search for the passageway to the heart to destroy Minerva's magic stores. So if we lure him there, we can rig the house to extract his magic while he thinks he's taking ours, your Grace."

Everyone sat silently, waiting to see what Riordan would say.

Seconds ticked by. Granuaile looked at her hands. Siofra stared at the ceiling shaking her head at her sister.

Minerva tightened her hold on Albus's hand.

Minerva's mother gently rested her hand on her daughter's knee.

"How would we go about extracting his stores?"

Granuaile looked uneasy. "Well, I don't exactly…"

"Legilimancy." Minerva stated.

Rioghnach nodded her head. "Yes. That would work. But there must be someone there to cast the spell."

"I can do it." Minerva said. "I'll just stay in my animagus form. It's easier to be stealthy."

The clan was quiet. Riordan stroked his beard as he pondered what she had said.

"Conner? If she extracts his magic?"

"If she can hold him there and deplete at least twenty percent, her odds of winning outright are seventy to thirty without any losses."

"Can you do that, Minerva? Can you hold the spell that long in your animagus?"

Minerva nodded, with more conviction than she actually felt. "I can."

Albus turned to face his wife. "Minerva, if he finds you, get out of there. Don't try to engage him there. You could trigger the porthole without even trying. Are you even going to call the Ministry about this? They could just as easily arrest him."

Minerva froze. Truthfully, the Ministry hadn't even crossed her mind. "I think I need to do this alone, Albus. I'll let Kingsley know when he attacks the school, but my house… Albus, that's my call, and I don't want anyone trying to tell me what it is I should do."

He shook his head. She was so unreasonable sometimes.

"How are you going to ensure when he'll attack?" Riordan asked.

Minerva laughed dryly. "How else do we get anything done? Put it in the paper."

Everyone looked confused. "What?" "What's she talking about? "Has she gone mad?"

Minerva clapped her hands and again the room went quiet. "Thank you," she says sarcastically. "What I mean is, I'll tell the Prophet to run a story saying that I will be staying at my home at Godric's Hollow during the Christmas Break. That way he'll make his attack while he thinks I am there. Two birds with one stone."

"And Kingsley won't suspect anything?"

"I'll put it in the gossip section." She said caustically.

The McGonagalls sat in stony silence, considering the options before them.

Rioghnach stood up to speak. "This is a very serious time- not a matter to be taken lightly. If Minerva feels that she is capable of carrying out this plan of action, then I put my support behind her. I move that we bind a part of our magic to Hogwarts, so that when he does attack, she will be able to pull from both simultaneously in a duel. Do I have a second?"

Minerva dared not breathe. If the clan didn't allow her to use the magic stores freely in connection with Hogwarts, she and her children would be fighting with sheer will.

"I second the motion." Siofra said, smiling at her granddaughter.

"Second!" Granuaile cried.

Riordan stood. "All those in favor please say 'aye.'"

A loud chorus of "Aye!" went up in the room.

"All those opposed?"

The room stayed silent.

Minerva stood up and walked to the head of the table. Riordan turned and placed his hands on top of her head.

"Godspeed, my child. The task you are undertaking is risky and uncertain, to say the least. You have the support of the clan, as you always have. Use our magic wisely, Minerva. It is all that keeps us here. Use your wisdom, your skill, your Gryffindor courage, and your McGonagall power. Godspeed, my daughter. Godspeed."

He kissed the top of her head gently. He whispered in her ear, "You may say goodbye to Albus. We will leave you be."

"Thank you," she began, but as she raised her hand she was greeted to an empty room except for her husband who still sat in his seat.

She ran over to him and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheeks, his nose, his lips. She held his cheeks in her hand, pressing their foreheads together as their tears mingled. He held her hand within his, the other hand wrapping around her thin waist, pulling her as close to him as he could.

"I miss you so much." She breathed against his lips. "I need you with me. I need you next to me at night. I need to fall asleep in your arms. Albus…"

He kissed her and wiped her tears. "Everyday, Minerva. Everyday I sit in the stars and watch you from afar. My heart breaks with you, my laughter rings with yours, my tears run the same course, my love. I am always here with you. Always."

"I don't want to be apart from you anymore, Albus, it hurts too much."

He ran his hand in soothing lines down her back. "But you must keep living, my dear, you must. For this is your time. I have already lived mine. You must live yours."

She kissed him again and stared into his blue eyes, those endless blue eyes…

"I love you." She whispered.

He kissed her. "I love you."

She leaned in to press her head against his, but instead of meeting her husband's face, she met nothing but the empty air of the inner chamber.

Xxxxxx

_A/N: A very long chapter, but I hope everyone enjoyed it!_


	13. Chapter 13

Minerva sat shivering on the stone floor. She couldn't stop the sobs as they shook her body and ripped her heart. She knew she had no choice but to call the clan to a meeting, but goddamn it- did it have to hurt so much?

She weakly got up and put on her robes.

Clan rules stated that the Master or Mistress could only call meetings once a year. If it was a true emergency and an additional meeting was needed, they would have to speak to Riordan alone to get his permission to meet with the rest of the family.

She knew why the rules were there- to prevent insanity and dependence. Seeing dead loved ones is as addictive as any whiskey, and if someone didn't control it, you'd never leave the inner chamber.

And the McGonagalls simply wouldn't allow that. Life goes on, no matter how much it hurts.

She flicked her wrist and cast a light on the room. She looked longingly at the cross engraved on the ground. How she treasured the fleeting times that she could see her beloved family.

She walked up the steps, feeling her body protest. These meetings drained her energy and magic like nothing other.

She reached the top landing and the linen shelf rotated allowing her to exit.

Opening the door, she was greeted with an empty hallway.

"Lera," Minerva called.

A small pop sounded. "Yes Mistress?"

"I think I will stay here tonight. Please send word to Percival that I am safe and will be back tomorrow."

"Yes ma'ams. Yous be needings dinner?"

"Yes, nothing elaborate, please. A vegetable beef stew will do."

Lera nodded. "We will makes your room now. Yous be wantings your tartan down comforter and silk sheets?"

Minerva smiled. Her house elf was so wonderful. "That is perfect."

With another small nod, the small house disappeared.

Minerva walked down the hallway to the library. Moving to the large cabinet on the side wall, she withdrew her favorite bottle of whiskey. She poured herself a healthy amount in the glass tumbler and sat on the large overstuffed leather chair. Albus had bought it because he "loved the feeling of sinking into a chair," but Minerva had hated the lack of posture support.

She had always opted to sit on the sofa, which was, according to Tessa, only supposed to be used for psychiatrists' offices, not for a home.

Now, after many years of sitting rigidly on her couch, she had to agree with her husband and daughter- the leather chair was much more agreeable.

She reached onto the coffee table and grabbed the nearest book. It was a Muggle book on the different types of birds that were native to Scotland. Definitely an Albus purchase.

Minerva curiously opened the book and began reading.

Xxxxxxxx

The Prophet the next day didn't boast anything special, but Donal still found himself reading it every day.

Call it habit, but the Prophet was the only reading material he was allowed in Azkaban. Even criminals needed the news.

He was about to call it quits when the gossip column caught his attention.

Never one to rely on what was printed there, a certain name still caught his attention.

_**Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, is spending her holiday at her family home in Godric's Hollow. McGonagall normally spends her holidays at the castle, but she said that this year she wanted to be at home to work on various projects for the Transfiguration Society. She will, however, be attending the Christmas Day feast at the castle. She will be leaving Hogwarts on December 14th.** _

Donal's eyes bulged at the small column. Could it be true? Why on earth would Minerva release that information?

_Perhaps the Board required Headmasters and Headmistresses to disclose their location if they are to leave the premises while students were still in attendance._

Had that been a rule before? He couldn't remember.

But, if it was true, then he could attack the house and Minerva on the same day. One attack, one kill.

Still, it was oddly suspicious that the information he needed would just appear in the Prophet… but yet again, it was the gossip column. Most likely Minerva had been speaking to someone and a journalist had overheard her speaking.

He had been walking around Godric's Hollow and the surrounding area for a few hours. He was waiting, trying to make up his mind to go ahead and try to destroy the house now or postpone it until Minerva might be there.

Deciding that waiting was perhaps the wisest thing to do, he found an abandoned little flat on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow, and there he would wait… because if she didn't show up, he'd be able to strike it the next day.

Xxxxxxxx

Esmerele had been released from Poppy's care by the beginning of the next week.

A strange calm had fallen over the McGonagall family. Minerva continued her regular duties as Headmistress… checking in on classrooms, observing professors, doing endless paperwork, running back and forth to the ministry…

Percival was flooing back and forth to the Potions Order so he could continue working. Minerva had checked and rechecked to make sure the network was secure, much to her son's amusement.

Tessa was still attempting to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts. At Minerva's endless nagging, she had agreed to sit in on the fourth through seventh year classes. She used the cover of being a liaison for Beauxbaton's Academy for her reason behind observing the classes. If a student ever talked to her, she really layered on the French accent.

Esmerele stayed in her mother's bed most of the day, even though she could walk around. The two incidents really seemed to have killed her confidence, and all she wanted to do was sit and read most of the days.

She received her regular paperwork from the Society via mail, and in a couple of days she had caught up on her work. But she couldn't bring herself to do much else.

At night, she slept curled up tightly beside her mother, head nestled in the crook of her neck, arm wrapped around her thin waist.

It worried Minerva to see her daughter so frightened even in her sleep, but she knew that she was the exact same way with Albus during the wars.

While Esmerele slept, Minerva ran her fingers across her daughter's scars and couldn't help but let a few tears slip from her emerald eyes. She had worked so hard to keep her children out of harms way, and she had failed.

One night, Esmerele caught her mother crying, and she gently leaned up and kissed her mother's cheek.

"You didn't fail us, Mommy."

Xxxxxxxx

December 14th was rapidly approaching, and Minerva found herself going to and from the safe house every day to make preparations for Donal's attack.

She would morph into her animagus form and apparate to the house, using the small hole to the basement as her way of entrance.

The house as a whole was not feline-friendly, and Minerva found herself transfiguring the wood in the ceiling to allow her nimble body access from floor to floor.

To prevent Donal from having a place to run for cover, Minerva removed all of the furniture throughout the house. On all the floors, she opened up all the walls, allowing her to aim clearly from any vantage point.

As a lure, she created an elaborate door at the far end of the room. On it was a Celtic cross much like that at the Manor. She left it slightly ajar so that Donal could see the stairway leading downstairs. She was hoping that he would think that the door led to the heart of the house.

Once downstairs, she had set up another marble cross with Gaelic inscriptions on the white stone. She had an opeing in the ceiling that would allow her a clear way to hit him with a spell while he attempted to destroy the cross.

If anything went wrong, she had a way to make it to the roof of the house so she could apparate away or strike him from above.

Percival insisted that he be there in the event things went south, so Minerva had agreed to let him hide out on the roof of a neighboring house.

No way she would let him be inside with her. Because if Donal caught on to their game, he'd blow the whole thing up out of sheer frustration.

And she would be damned before any of her children got hurt again.

Xxxxxxxxx


	14. Chapter 14

When the day of the attack had arrived, Minerva paced anxiously around the floor of her house, her lithe animagus form taught and alert with anticipation.

Percival had wanted to be inside with her, but in the event anything went wrong, Minerva had forced him to stay on watch on top of an adjacent building. At his incessant nagging, Minerva agreed that Percival would alert the ministry if anything went too astray.

The fireplace that roared inside the house was a one-way link to Hogwarts, at which Tessa and Esmerele stood guard. Well, Tessa was the main defense. Esmerele stayed behind, her body not quite ready for anything more than a few spells.

Tessa had been working day in and day out on her accuracy and power, and, much to her mother and siblings surprise, she had inherited her parents' aptitude for quick learning.

The morning ticked onward and there was not a sign of Donal anywhere. By noon, Minerva began to worry that he had seen right through her decoy and decided not to show.

Percival was getting anxious too, and he began tapping his wand against his leg as he scanned the area again and again.

Tessa began to worry as well, for her view of the house remained empty.

Xxxxxx

Donal decided that morning was perhaps not the best time to attack after all. Morning would be when everyone's ears were sensitive to the early morning rustles. If he could attack in the afternoon, when people were sleepy from their heavy lunch, then he would have a better chance of being undetected.

Not like it mattered much- Minerva would be there. He would kill her. He would destroy her house. He would win. That he knew.

He figured the way to the heart would look something like he'd seen in Minerva's first apartment- she had things that looked ancient and Gaelic, as if transported back to the Elizabethan world of Ireland and Scotland.

Before leaving his hiding spot, he cast a simple masking spell on his body. The sun was high in the sky, barely tilting to the west as it made its gradual descent out of sight.

The snow sparkled like a thousand diamonds as he slowly made his way down the street. The beauty of the scene was not lost on Donal, and he almost wished that he wouldn't have to stain the perfect ice crystals with the debris of the house and the blood of its master.

Almost.

He rounded the corner and waited, staring down the house, looking for any signs of movement in the house.

A small, swirling line of smoke rose up from the chimney, and from the second window on the left, Donal could make out a small fireplace. A fire meant heating. No need to heat an empty house.

He took it as a good sign.

Xxxxx

Percival noticed footsteps approaching on the west side without a body.

At first, he almost missed it. The reflection of the sun on the snow was nearly blinding to look at.

But as the footprints moved into the shade of the building, he could easily see that it was a person masked by a charm.

He looked down into the last window on the second floor, where two pairs of cat eyes stared back at him.

He nodded.

The eyes blinked solemnly, and then they disappeared.

Xxxxx

Tessa looked into the fire and saw a gentle blue glow coming from the opening to the second floor.

She nodded at her sister.

This was it.

Xxxxxx

Minerva stretched out her body and sprinted down the narrow openings in the ceiling planks.

She moved into the wall, inside of which was a small stairway leading down into the chamber.

The staircase led to the basement ceiling. The planks were latticed tightly, supported below it by thicker planks.

She crouched just above the doorway, that way she would be at Donal's back when he entered.

Her fur stood erect on her back.

She was ready.

Xxxxx

Stepping gingerly out of the shade, Donal made his way to the door, wand at the ready.

He thought about going around back, but from what he had surveyed, the woods would be hard to maneuver in and out of.

With a quick, "alohamora," the door gave a small click, signaling that the spell had worked.

He steadied his shaking hand as he opened the door and stepped inside, shutting the door quickly behind him.

He was greeted by silence, save for the crackling of the fireplace.

The room was expansive and grand, exactly the opposite of what Minerva's flat had been.

On the furthest wall sat a marble and wood door with a Gaelic cross burned into it. He moved around and saw that the door led to a downward staircase.

Slightly suspicious that such a grand doorway would be placed in the middle of the room, he flicked his wand aggressively, sending out an angry red and yellow stream of magic.

The door shattered, sending marble, wood and granite flying out in all directions. The stone crashed to the floor, making the entire building shake. The wooden door lay shattered and smoldering, small tails of smoke rising up from the debris.

The floor now sat scorched and damaged, but revealed was the staircase leading downward.

Satisfied that he would not be killed by a trick planted inside the door, Donal proceeded downward, wand out.

Xxxxx

Tessa recoiled and gasped as the beautiful door was broken into a million pieces in her family's living room. She knew it was unavoidable, but the thundering sound of the stone crashing to the floor jolted her.

Esmerele laid a calming hand on her sister and nodded, silently telling her sister to stay strong.

Xxxxx

Minerva nearly jumped out of her skin when the heard the deafening crash from above. From the small pieces that fell down the stairs and the weight that the pieces seemed to have, she gathered that Donal had shattered the door.

Regaining her composure, she crouched back down and awaited his next move.

Xxxxx

Donal moved carefully down the stairs.

So far, there had been no sight of Minerva, and his suspicion was growing.

"Minerva," he called out in a sick, sing-song voice. "Come out, come out, where ever you are…"

When he reached the landing, a grand white marble and gold Gaelic cross statue stood before him.

His eyes widened with his grin, for this must be the heart.

A cruel, cold laugh escaped from his lips and he raised his wand to destroy the beautiful statue.

Xxxxxx

With his gaze transfixed on the cross, Minerva narrowed her emerald cat eyes and silently cast a spell on the man before her.

A purple and silver line shot out from her head and wound its way to Donal's.

Instantly, she felt his power being drained as the purple line turned into a mix of burgundy and black.

Donal was still staring at the cross, she guessed he was unsure of how to destroy it best.

Minerva's head began to pound as she drained his magic. She had underestimated how much power he actually had, and her cat body was beginning to tremble and weaken as her magic was torn between maintaining her animagus and draining out his magic.

She dug her claws into the wood and bared her teeth, determined not to break her concentration on the task at hand.

She just had to hold on for just a few more minutes, for that was how long the spell would take to drain the required amount.

Her back began to burn, as if her spine was set on fire. Her legs were trembling beneath her as the spell worked its way through his body.

Donal raised his wand and cast a spell against the cross, making Minerva's spell give a harsh jolt.

Unprepared for it, Minerva felt her body began to morph back into its human form.

No! Her mind screamed, and she tried to concentrate on focusing her energy back into her animagus form.

The burgundy line shivered and grew thinner, and Minerva knew she had to choose between holding the spell or being a cat.

She looked desperately around. Moving backwards, she prayed that her weight would hold. If she morphed back in this position, she thought that her body would at least be concealed.

Giving up her internal fight, she allowed her body to morph back into its human shape.

The boards creaked and Donal turned his head slightly, causing the spell to flutter.

Minerva held her breath and cast a quick invisibility charm, praying it would be enough to keep Donal at bay.

Donal stopped his movements and looked up. His line of sight was about ten feet away from Minerva, but still she felt her body tense up at the thought of him discovering her hiding place.

He turned slowly, looking both ways.

The burgundy line stayed just in his blind spot.

Donal turned back to the cross and began casting his spell once more.

Not allowing herself to breathe a sigh of relief, she concentrated her effort into the spell again.

The line was growing thicker and her head began to throb, she could tell that it was nearly done. Just a little more and his magic would be drained.

Glowing brighter than before, the line began to twirl back towards Minerva.

With a bright flash, the spell was done.

But it came at a price. The flash made Donal spin around, and in her concentration, Minerva had let her invisibility charms slip.

Donal's eyes went wide. "STUPEFY!" He yelled, a bright light went hurling towards her body.

Rolling to the side, Minerva realized that she had no way to escape in her human form. But her body was so weak from the spell that she didn't think she could safely transfigure back.

She fired back, transfiguring the far wooden planks into stone, sending them hurling down on Donal's head.

With a cry, Donal fell down, the rocks colliding against his body as he went sprawling to the floor.

Minerva shot a spell above her head, blasting a hole into the main floor.

Scrambling up, she ran across the room to take cover behind one of the columns in the room.

She heard a yell and a crash, and Donal came sprinting up the stairs.

"DEPULSO!" he screamed, hitting the column behind which Minerva was hiding.

It shook, but it held.

"REDUCTUM!" She fired back, bringing down a section of the second floor ceiling between him and her.

With another wave, she transformed the wood into shards of glass. It rose up into the air and went hurling towards Donal.

Donal arched his wand, a giant burst of flames shot out, melting the glass into a heated wall of sand and fire which he sent shooting at Minerva.

She waved her wand and moved the heat aside, sending it back as daggers of steel.

Another flick and she transfigured the first row of knives into smoke, clouding Donal's view.

She could hear his laugh and with dismay she knew the weaponry didn't hit its target.

All of a sudden, the windows at the front of her house blew inward, glass pouring in, shattering, glinting beautifully against the sunlight.

Minerva put a shield around her as the dangerously sharp pieces rained down onto the hardwood floor.

Percival! He must have heard the commotion.

Donal let out another yell and levitated the glass on the floor and sent them hurling towards the main door.

Minerva could barely make out her son's figure.

She had a split second choice.

Defend her son, or cast an offensive spell against Donal.

She chose the latter, praying to whomever that her son had the skills to defend himself.

With a mighty arc, she pulled out the column and sent it flying towards Donal.

Caught off guard by his own spell, Donal threw his body onto the floor as the massive pillar lurched his way.

Minerva flicked her wrist again, stopping the column in mid air, and with another flick, sent it landing on top of Donal.

But before it landed, he had rolled out from under it and send another spell towards Minerva, a green bolt of light came whizzing towards her body.

She narrowed her eyes and leaned to the side, her body taking over, reflexes doing a timeless dance with death.

The Killing Curse shot past her body, leaving a nasty mark on the wall behind her.

Percival shot out another spell, but Donal put up a shield.

From behind her, she heard the Floo activate and for a split second she turned her head.

"TESSA! GET BACK IN THERE!"

Donal laughed and shot out another spell at Minerva.

Again her body took over and she ducked gracefully to the side, rolling on the ground and stopping beside her daughter's tall frame.

Tessa reached down and helped her mother up. "NO, MOM! I'M STAYING WITH YOU!"

Another spell hurled at them both, and Minerva sent up a shield.

Percival shot out again at Donal, this time, his spell collided with Donal's shoulder.

With a horrid yell, Donal grabbed his arm. To his dismay and Minerva's delight, blood was gushing out of the wound.

Sadly, it wasn't his wand arm, and he angrily shot out another spell towards Minerva.

She pushed her daughter to the side and sent the spell whirling back towards Donal.

Donal deflected as Percival was taking aim.

But in the momentary pause between spells, Donal turned on his heels and vanished.

Xxxxxxxx


End file.
